Fenerbahce have reportedly made it clear they would be willing to submit an offer close to £40 million to secure one of Rúben Amorim’s players.
Manchester United have spent big this summer to bring in high-profile players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Šeško. Ruben Amorim’s first transfer window in charge has been focused on rebuilding the squad to suit his style of play, moving away from the Erik ten Hag era.
Amorim has already addressed several priority positions, but it appears he still wants to strengthen central midfield and bring in a goalkeeper. Following United’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal — where a mistake from Altay Bayındır proved costly — the club have once again been linked with Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens.
However, if United are to make further signings, they will likely need to sell players first. Jadon Sancho continues to attract interest from Roma, with personal terms reportedly the sticking point, while Casemiro is being linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with his former teammate Karim Benzema said to be encouraging the switch.
In addition, reports suggest another United player has emerged as a target for a Turkish Super Lig club.
Mourinho wants to bring Antony to Fenerbache
According to ESPN, Fenerbahçe are preparing a £38.9 million bid for Antony. United are believed to welcome this development and are eager to push ahead with the deal. It’s a bid that Amorim would no doubt immediately accept.
Antony, however, is said to be hesitant about moving to Turkey. He has previously been linked with a return to Real Betis, where he enjoyed a career-reviving loan spell last season.
Fenerbahçe’s manager, former United boss José Mourinho, could be a driving force behind the move. Mourinho has long had an affinity for fiery, unpredictable players, which may explain his interest in Antony.
So far this window, United have received a few permanent offers but plenty of loan enquiries. ESPN reports that Real Betis, where he was “brilliant” on loan last season, as well as Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, and Benfica, have all explored the possibility of taking Antony on loan.
However, none of these approaches have progressed, as United would prefer a permanent sale.
Now or Never for Antony
This may be Manchester United’s best chance to cash in on Antony. His loan spell at Real Betis last season proved that he can thrive in the right environment, but it also underlined that United is not the right fit for him. Without regular minutes, his value will only decline in the eyes of potential buyers.
With Amorim’s new signings and tactical setup — which does not rely on an out-and-out right winger — Antony is set to struggle for playing time.
Last season, he was even rumoured as an emergency option at left-back when both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia were sidelined. Still, Amorim now has Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, Harry Amass and Diego Leon covering those roles. All three are trusted by the manager, leaving Antony further down the pecking order.
Read More: Fabrizio Romano gives important update on Rúben Amorim’s “leader”, new Man Utd contract is on the cards
A permanent transfer to Real Betis would almost certainly appeal to Antony, though Betis’ finances may prevent such a move.
This transfer may take some time to conclude, as Turkish clubs have a longer transfer window that remains open beyond the Premier League’s. This means there is a possibility that Antony will eventually make the move to Fenerbahçe, should a deal with Betis not be possible.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.