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Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has urged Erik ten Hag to offload Brazilian winger Antony. The Englishman advised the tactician to use the money he'd get from selling the winger to sign Crystal Palace star Michael Olise.
Antony joined Manchester United from Ajax in a deal reportedly worth €95 million during the summer of 2022. Much was expected from the attacker but unfortunately, he's been nowhere close to justifying his enormous transfer cost.
He's yet to contribute a goal or assist this season despite playing 22 games for the club across all competitions. After seeing the Brazilian struggle, Cole is convinced that he needs to be sold and the cash raised from his sale used to sign Michael Olise.
"Is he an upgrade on Antony? Most definitely," Cole told Betfred.
"I read something that Dwight Yorke said about Antony recently, and he claimed that he felt sorry for him, and to a certain extent, I feel sorry for him too. To this day, I’m still unsure why they paid as much as they did for him and you can say he’s young and whatever, but I’m still waiting to see what he’s good at."
He added:
"If Olise does join in the summer, then he can bring a lot more to Manchester United because he’s very direct, he’s creative, he scores goals and he’s prepared to take people on. If the move happens, then it’s a signing that could take the team in the right direction."
Although Olise is a huge talent capable of deciding the fate of games on his day, his injury struggles over the last couple of seasons call for caution. Cole isn't bothered by this though as he insists injuries are part of the game and instead remains focused on what the attacker has got to offer.
"I like the kid and he’s very talented," he continued. "He proved he was a talented kid when he was at Reading, and he’s shown that at Crystal Palace, too.
"Regarding his injuries, injuries are part and parcel of football, but judging him on his performances alone, he’s grown into that Crystal Palace team and he’s still only 22 years of age," the Englishman added.
While selling Antony could be a good move, Manchester United might have problems getting suitors for him due to his poor performances at Old Trafford. Even if they eventually get suitors, they're unlikely to find any club that'd offer anything near the figure they spent on his acquisition.
What's next for Manchester United?
The Red Devils played out a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in the Premier League last time out. Manchester United will now be looking to bounce back to winning ways when they lock horns with Newport County in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, January 28.
Following that, they'll return to league action versus Wolverhampton Wanderers away next week on Thursday (February 1). They will then go head-to-head with West Ham United at home three days later.
After crashing out of both the Champions League and the EFL Cup, the Premier League and the FA Cup will determine the season for Erik ten Hag's men. If they manage to win the Cup and secure a top-four spot in the league, it'd still be considered a decent campaign.
