- Brazilian forward signed for £85m
- Yet to justify that price tag
- Portuguese proved change is possible
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazil international, who joined the Red Devils from Ajax for £85 million ($107m) during the summer of 2022, has struggled to produce on a consistent basis during his debut campaign in England. The 23-year-old has registered just eight goals and two assists this season, with more headlines being made for his unnecessary showboating. Portuguese superstar Ronaldo was once regarded as something of a show pony at Old Trafford, but he changed his ways and went on to become a five-time Ballon d’Or-winning all-time great.
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WHAT THEY SAID: Former United striker Sheringham has told Lord Ping of what Antony needs to do in order to avoid becoming the kind of flashy forward that once irritated Sir Alex Ferguson so much: “I’d be interested in hearing what Fergie thinks of Antony. Whenever we played against wingers like that, Fergie would call them a ‘little fizz-pop’, because he is a winger that whizzes around, can disappear for long periods of games and can do needless tricks, but is also capable of scoring a wonder goal every now and again. He’s not really a Fergie player – Fergie liked his wingers to be more consistent than Antony has been. I know that he has scored some great goals; some important goals, and he is obviously a talented boy. I think he needs to learn a little bit more about the Premier League, a little bit like Ronaldo when he first joined the club.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo joined United in 2003 as a fleet-footed winger, but soon became a devastating frontman as he learned how to channel his talents in the right areas – with a first Golden Ball secured in Manchester before departing for Real Madrid in 2009.
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Questions have been asked of whether Antony is capable of treading a similar path and proving his worth, with plenty suggesting that United overspent on a player that previously thrived under Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag in the Netherlands.