Owen has ‘seen enough’ to know £200k p/w man won’t make it at Utd – but he could be ‘exceptional’ elsewhere

Michael Owen is of the belief that Antony has already proven he isn’t suited to the Premier League and is best off taking his exploits elsewhere.

In fairness, it’s a sentiment that will undoubtedly be echoed by the Manchester United faithful, as you’d struggle to find any supporters who still wholeheartedly believe Antony can succeed at Old Trafford – primarily because he’s already had two full seasons to do so. 

It’s a sad state of affairs for both parties; the player now finds himself as an outcast in Erik ten Hag’s long-term plans, while the club are letting a signing they forked out £86 million for just waste away on the bench. If United did try to sell him when the window reopened, they’d be well aware that they won’t recuperate anywhere near the ludicrous fee.

The 24-year-old had grown accustomed to being a certain starter in his maiden campaign. Yet, in his sophomore term, his weekly lacklustre performances saw him eventually fall behind younger counterpart – and Carrington graduate – Alejandro Garnacho in the pecking order.

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Since 2024/2025 began, Amad Diallo has also cemented his place above Antony, which has led to the Brazilian making one single Premier League appearance in the opening five matches: a one-minute cameo off the bench against Brighton and Hove Albion.

United and Antony just haven’t worked out, says ex-Red

Weighing in on the winger’s substandard United tenure thus far, Owen told the Metro: “I haven’t seen enough positive play from Antony since he’s been there to warrant him starting every game for Manchester United

“He’s obviously a very talented boy and they’ve paid a load of money for him so they’ll be absolutely desperate to get a tune out of him and to get him happy and playing. He might be exceptional in a different team, but this current Manchester United team, granted, it’s very hard for any player to really shine, as we’ve seen with recent buys over the last five or 10 years.

“But if he started in a game next week, I wouldn’t be thinking, right I’m really excited to see. I think I’ve seen enough to think that it might be a struggle for him, but whether that’s a change of manager, a change of team, or a change of something will spark something else again. That’s for the future.”