Manchester United made some surprising decisions during the summer transfer deadline day which raised the eyebrows of fans and pundits. The Red Devils signed Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain while midfielder Scott McTominay left the club to sign for Napoli.
United’s outcast Jadon Sancho signed for competitive rivals Chelsea on a loan deal that baffled the fans despite his struggles. United fans worry that Sancho, eager to prove a point, could help their bitter rivals this season.
United manager Erik ten Hag has a daunting task with early injuries piling up, something that caused issues last season. Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof and now Mason Mount are the senior team players who are out of action.
A lot of uncertainty surrounded many other senior team players but United cannot afford more departure due to poor depth. According to Daily Mail, Manchester United rejected Real Betis’ offer to take Antony and Christian Eriksen on a loan deal.
The Red Devils opted to keep the two players during the deadline day to maintain the substantial depth in the squad. Eriksen faced uncertainty over his future this summer after the club struggled with energy and physicality in midfield last season.
The double-pivot midfield of Casemiro and Eriksen left a lot of spaces with other teams exploiting the middle spaces. With Kobbie Mainoo securing his starting place in the team and the inclusion of Ugarte, United have a new midfield.
Antony to Real Betis on loan is NOT happening, despite reports.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2024
He wants to stay at Manchester United. pic.twitter.com/KJTSjmJ2uE
Nevertheless, the season is long with Ten Hag needing to deal with the Europa League fixtures under a new format. The injury crisis should not play a factor once again this season when the club has revamped their squad significantly.
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At the same time, Antony faces a strong attacking department and needs to make the most out of any opportunity. The Brazilian joined United for a hefty price and struggled to live up to the expectations that came with it.
