Ruben Amorim Advised on First Man Utd Player to Offload in January - 'Cut Your Losses'

Former Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen has urged the club to sell £86m signing Antony in the upcoming January transfer window.

The Brazilian winger has yet to make a Premier League start this season and appears ill-suited to new head coach Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. Although Antony featured as a substitute against Arsenal last week and played an hour in the Europa League victory over Bodo/Glimt, he remains far from Amorim’s first-choice plans.

With 18 months left on his contract and reportedly earning £200,000 per week, Antony's high wages could limit potential interest in January. However, the club is said to be open to offers.

Meulensteen, who served as a key part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s backroom staff at Old Trafford for six years, told Lucky Block: “Manchester United might have to bite the bullet and cut their losses with Antony in January because I don’t think he has the attributes to contribute to what Ruben Amorim wants.”

“I find it difficult to see where he fits into this team. I think he’s been one of the biggest misfiring transfers in the Premier League in recent years.

“He’s another example of a player who comes from the Dutch league – which I know really well – where you can win seven out of ten games with two fingers up your nose and you don’t have to break a sweat. In the Premier League, you have to be absolutely top class in every game you play.”

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Speaking to Lucky Block, Rene Meulensteen suggested that Antony’s personality might be causing friction within the Manchester United squad, although he did not provide specific examples.

"I think the biggest thing that has held Antony back is his own personality – he’s got certain characteristics that don’t sit very well with some of the other players," Meulensteen said.

He also criticized the winger’s on-field contributions, adding: "There’s a lack of effectiveness as a player – he’s very predictable in the way he wants to cut in on his left foot. We hardly see any quality assists or chance creation from him, and I think we could see him elsewhere by the end of January."

Manchester United are set to face Viktoria Plzeň in the Europa League on Thursday night before a Manchester derby against City on Sunday afternoon. Antony may have another chance to feature in the midweek European fixture.