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“I go to bed here and wake up smiling.”
For any Manchester United player to have uttered those words last season should be an indication of delusion, or even outright masochism, after the club endured its worst campaign in the history of the Premier League era.
But for Antony, United’s 25-year-old winger with two years left on his deal at Old Trafford, it was the truth – because ‘here’ no longer referred to Manchester.
The Brazil international was speaking from Seville after joining Spanish side Real Betis on loan in the January transfer window, having firmly fallen down the pecking order at United following Ruben Amorim’s appointment in November to replace Erik ten Hag.
But where Antony’s experience in Manchester had seen the Theatre of Dreams morph into an unrelenting nightmare following his £81 million switch from Ajax in 2022 at Ten Hag’s request, the Spanish city presented a haven of redemption for a player widely seen as one of the worst signings in the modern era of football.
He immediately established himself as a pivotal part of Manuel Pellegrini’s team on the right-wing after being entrusted with the number seven shirt, propelling the Heliopolitanos to Europa League qualification with a sixth-placed finish in La Liga and the final of the Conference League – the club’s first European final in its 117-year history.
Across 26 appearances, Antony scored nine goals and provided five assists.
Many of these strikes were either crucial match-changing goals or outstanding highlight-reel efforts, sometimes both. But his general play was also excellent, combining the skill he demonstrated in Amsterdam with the indefatigable work-rate he always maintained in Manchester.
Antony’s form was so impressive he even earned a recall to the Seleção – Brazil’s national squad – earlier this summer after a near two-year absence from international duty. He described it as “one of the most emotional moments” in his life which was even “more exciting” to him than his first call-up in 2021.
As loan moves go, it would be hard to find a more successful example than this Spanish Renaissance for the Brazilian winger.
Understandably, Antony is actively pushing to remain with Betis. But the manner in which he is seeking this move separates him from other members of the United squad also looking at the exit door this summer.
United’s hierarchy must take note of this contrast in approach and respond to each player accordingly, even if it comes at the expense of the club’s finances. The alternative is the Red Devils being unable to move on from the hellish experience which has consumed Old Trafford in the the post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise where player power has run amok.
The Exodus on the Wings
United are searching for permanent exits this summer for their cohort of wingers – Antony and the Three Moaneteers, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Alejandro Garnacho – with all four exploring options to leave Old Trafford.
But only Antony is conducting his search in the correct manner; the other three are either choosing greed over gametime or making public admissions, either explicitly or implicitly, about wanting to leave United in a manner which draws negative attention.
Antony wants to play for Betis next season.
He is seeking to help facilitate a deal which would see the Spanish club re-sign him, be it permanently or on loan, as he evidently wishes to keep ‘waking up smiling.’ He is even willing to take a 30% pay cut to his existing salary to secure the move as Betis’ financial capabilities are limited.
But Antony has remained respectful to United during this loan period, refusing to comment publicly on his wish to leave prior to the switch to Seville in January and then praising both the club and Amorim in interviews since.
By comparison, Sancho, Garnacho, and Rashford have all committed cardinal errors in their drive to leave Old Trafford in the past twelve months, albeit in differing ways.
But the conclusion should be the same: United should refuse to compromise on their exits, even if under pressure to do so, to send a message that the club will no longer be held to ransom in the transfer market by underperforming and overpaid players.
The Theatre of Dreams should be exactly that for any Manchester United player – a dream.
But if you do want to leave, which is perfectly acceptable, you do it in the correct manner which respects the club and the fanbase; or else you do not get what you want, under any circumstances.
Let’s dive into the Three Moaneteers and analyse why each player has forfeited the right to demand the exit they want – and what United should be prepared to sanction in each case.
Selfish Sancho
Sancho joined Chelsea last summer on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy clause, worth between £20-25 million, if the Blues finished 15th or higher in the league, with the price rising in accordance with their final position.
With Enzo Maresca’s side securing fourth place on the final day of the season, the buy clause was triggered at £25 million – a major win for United, who believed they had finally found a permanent solution for a long-term problem.
But Chelsea had included a £5 million penalty fee in the deal, which they could pay to annul the obligation to buy, therefore effectively converting it into a straight loan. And after negotiations broke down with the winger’s representatives, they activated it, choosing to send Sancho back to Manchester.
He had previously spoken about his excitement at joining Chelsea and returning to London after the switch was agreed last year: “I’m really excited to be here. London is where I grew up and I’m happy to be back. The manager spoke to me about the project and, for a young player, it’s exciting. Hopefully I can bring goals and assists to the Bridge.”
But fast forward ten months and Sancho decides to leave ‘the Bridge’ to move back to Old Trafford – a place he has repeatedly pushed to leave – because he earns more money in the north west of England than the west of London.
He even reportedly requested United help facilitate a deal by covering a portion of his lost wages to seal the move to Chelsea. But the Reds refused to bow to this demand – the correct decision, even if it costs more in the short-term.
Other clubs have expressed interest in signing Sancho this summer but his intransigence to compromise financially is, again, prohibiting a move.
Both Napoli and Juventus are in the hunt for Sancho but are unwilling to match his wage demands. Similarly, a return to Borussia Dortmund was ruled out for the same reason, while Turkish side Fenerbahce made advances to agree a deal but have since backed off.
Fabrizio Romano reveals “nobody wants to cover the full salary of Jadon Sancho” – believed to be worth around £250,000 a week – and this is blocking his departure from United, despite both the player and club wanting an exit.
Evidently, Sancho is only concerned with going to bed and waking up to check his bank account in the morning. His smile stems from his salary, not his performances on the pitch nor the football club he calls home.
Sancho has twelve months remaining on his contract with United, though the club retains the right to trigger a one-year extension. This option will not be exercised, however, and there is zero desire on Amorim’s part to include the winger in this summer’s pre-season tour.
But Sancho and his representatives know this; in fact, they are banking on it to help secure him an exit on his terms without having to compromise on his wages, confident in the fact that club would rather save some money by sending him on another loan rather than none.
This is exactly what United should do, however.
The club should tell Sancho with absolute certainty they will not pay a penny of his salary to go on loan or to compensate a wage drop through a permanent transfer, even if it means he remains at Old Trafford next season, because if he stays, he will train in the reserves and play for the U-21 side.
If Sancho wants United to honour his contract, United should make it clear they will expect the same. If you want the pay, be prepared to play, for whichever version of the Red Devils the club deems most suitable.
It would send a lightening bolt of clarity throughout Old Trafford that United are no longer willing to tolerate greed and self-interest, even if it hurts the club financially in the short-term. Rather, it’s a long-term approach which prioritises a minimum standard for behaviour over the bottom line financially.
And it’s one which may have prevented similar cases in the last year elsewhere in the squad, as we will discuss.
Rash Rashford
Rashford is set to return to Manchester this week, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa after a public dispute with Amorim led to a January exit.
The Portuguese coach dropped the 27-year-old forward, along with Garnacho, for the Manchester Derby at the Etihad on December 12, citing issue with the pair’s performances in training. However, olive branches were extended for a return with no suggestions the omission was permanent.
It was a bold decision for a new manager to make but it paid off.
The Reds triumphed 2-1 over Pep Guardiola’s side with a stunning last-minute goal from Amad to win the derby, having gone a goal down initially. Amorim even played a role in the winner, instructing Martinez to find the 22-year-old Ivorian with a brilliant lofted pass.
Yet, two days later, on the back of a pulsating win over the club’s bitter rivals, Rashford – the boyhood fan who came through the academy at Carrington – chose to release an unauthorised interview declaring his intention to leave Old Trafford in search of a “new challenge“.
This was not well-received by United’s executive branch nor by Amorim and his coaching staff. Plans to facilitate Rashford’s exit in January were accelerated with widespread acceptance his wage packet, worth in excess of £325,000 a week, would be prohibitive for potential suitors.
But Rashford refused to compromise on this salary, in much the same was Sancho had done the previous summer, and a last-gasp deal with Villa was agreed in the final days of the winter window. The Villains agreed to pay 75% of Rashford’s wages, potentially rising to 90% with bonuses, and a £40 million buy option was included in the deal.
Barcelona had expressed interest in a loan deal but the financials proved too costly for the Liga champions, despite Camp Nou constituting a ‘dream move’ for Rashford.
Rashford enjoyed a mini-resurgence at Villa Park under Unai Emery with the Spanish manager even choosing the play the United star up front, over existing number nine Ollie Watkins, for the Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
But with Rashford’s loan in Birmingham having drawn to a close this month, Villa have chosen not to activate their buy option.
There is a strong sense amongst Villa Park and Old Trafford officials that Rashford retains a desire to join Barcelona, even if it is only on loan as the Spanish giants are unwilling to invest £40 million in a 27-year-old forward on mammoth wages.
The Blaugrana appear ready to play hard ball with United in the hope of striking a loan deal, despite the Reds’ preference for a permanent exit, later in the summer window. They are banking on Rashford rebuffing interest from elsewhere to complete his ‘dream’ move to Spain.
But in the exact same manner as Sancho, United should take an absolute stance with Rashford.
Amorim has no interest in including the England international in his squad for the summer tour and the club must honour this. Rashford should be told: either help facilitate a permanent exit by compromising on your wages or run the risk of spending a year in the reserves without a pre-season.
The 2025/26 campaign is a ‘World Cup Year’ with the tournament set to take place next summer in the United States. Rashford will retain hopes of maintaining his place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad after missing out on the European Championship in Germany last summer.
This gives United further leverage to exert as the 27-year-old will have no chance of playing for the Three Lions if he spends the year with the U-21s at Leigh Sports Village – a venue Tuchel is unlikely to be visiting next season.
If the Old Trafford hierarchy allow the club’s best paid star to wait and hope the pressure ramps up sufficiently to agree a cut-price loan to Barcelona, United will never move on from the scourge of player power. They must hold firm and offer the same non-negotiable threat to Sancho – be paid for the reserves or play for the seniors elsewhere.
If Rashford wants to wake up smiling in Catalonia, he needs to be willing to pay the price in Manchester to seal the move.
Gormless Garnacho
Garnacho’s crimes are different to the other two defendants in The Peoples Person‘s court of law; and thus the ruling also changes slightly.
The Argentina international did not spend last season on loan away from Old Trafford. Rather, he was one of United’s better players, despite often frustrating fans with inconsistent finishing and a selfish streak in the opposition half.
But Garnacho is a 20-year-old winger who is still finding his feet in the men’s game. The fact he is able to generate so many chances for himself suggests the scope for better attacking returns is significant, especially in a team so devoid of creativity and goal threat.
If Garnacho can refine his movement and develop more efficient finishing, he will become a very good winger, bordering on an excellent one. But the biggest hurdle to this improvement is his attitude – and it’s one which has cost him his future at Old Trafford.
As referenced above, Garnacho was dropped by Amorim for the Manchester Derby after substandard performances in training. But he was reinstated by his coach for the very next game – against Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup – and maintained his place for the remainder of the season.
In fact, Amorim went out of way to praise Garnacho on multiple occasions, referring specifically to his attitude and work-rate in a pointed explanation of where the Argentine had improved.
But for the season-defining Europa League final against Spurs in Bilbao, Amorim chose to drop Garnacho to the bench in place of Mason Mount, despite having started every knockout round prior.
The match which unfolded was a terrible final played between two terrible teams with a terrible result for United. And it soundly punished Amorim’s decision as Mount was wholly ineffective while Garnacho offered United’s brightest spark when summoned from the bench in the second half to replace the former Chelsea midfielder.
When asked about the choice to drop Garnacho in his post-match interview at the San Mames Stadium, Amorim responded in a prickly manner.
“How many times have we had this conversation and it was the opposite? Some players come in, like Mason Mount, against Bilbao and changed the game. So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against Bilbao? Yeah [Garnacho].
“Of course, now it is easy for us to talk about a lot of views. I just look at the game and try to manage things and improve the team and try to win games. I can see it both ways. I remember everything about the past so it is easy for me to respond to that question.”
Garnacho was palpably angry with this explanation, suggesting an exit was on his mind as he would see “what happens next” this summer and described United’s season in a brutal manner in his own interview after the game.
“Obviously it’s hard for everyone. Our season was s–t. We didn’t beat anyone in the league. We lacked a lot of things. When you don’t score goals, you always need more. Until we reached the final, I played every round. And I played 20 minutes today – I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.”
Garnacho’s brother – a constant source of angst for United – took to social media to accuse Amorim of “throw[ing] him under the bus,” throwing gasoline on an already incendiary situation. It is not the first time Garnacho or his brother have taken to social media to express their frustration, nor would it be the last.
The response from United was absolute, however, offering hope that the hard line approach this writer is imploring the club to implement is already firmly in the minds of the Old Trafford hierarchy.
United executives held a summit with Amorim following the Europa League final loss, reiterating their commitment to him as their long-term option in the dugout and throwing their full weight behind his assessment of the first-team squad.
In a meeting with his squad a few days later, Amorim informed Garnacho he was welcome to leave and that the winger better “pray” he can find a new club, making clear he no longer had a future at Old Trafford.
It is a disappointing end for an academy graduate, particularly one with the obvious quality of Garnacho. But it is a necessary choice – to openly call your own team ‘sh-t’ and publicly question your manager is akin to signing a death knell for a footballer.
The fact that Garnacho took to social media a month later to post a picture of him wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Rashford’s name on the back, accompanied by the caption ‘Brother’, is simply confirmation of the 20-year-old’s thoughtless approach and unprofessional attitude.
It was an obvious tactic with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. But it appears to have potentially backfired as Chelsea – one of the clubs expressing the most interest in the winger – now have doubts over his personality, as explained by The Peoples Person here.
Evidently, Garnacho is the type of person to go to bed and wake up only to check Twitter.
United should still push for the 20-year-old to leave this summer as the transfer budget needs bolstering from sales and his academy status means any transfer would constitute ‘pure profit’ from a PSR perspective.
United should remain firm over their valuation of their winger and not allow pressure to dictate an exit because the player is agitating for it.
But there needs to be a sense of practicality about United’s best asset on the market being sold in time for the club to fund further recruitment, with Matheus Cunha’s capture from Wolverhampton Wanderers the only signing so far and pre-season only a week away.
There is a certain degree of compromise United can strike with Garnacho that neither Sancho or Rashford should be afforded.
One is a youngster with more skill than sense, surrounded by poor advisors; one is a leech who will choose money in his pocket over minutes on the pitch every single time; and the final is an experienced player who is willing to hold his boyhood club to ransom in order to secure a dream exit.
Out of all three, the naïve youngster gets the biggest pass. The fact that he will also command the bigger transfer fee is purely coincidence, we promise.
This writer simply wants to go to bed and wake up to a squad of United players whose only motivation to wear the hallowed Red shirt is their desire to win in it – nothing else.
Antony’s attitude towards football is to be commended, even if his ability with one at Old Trafford left a lot to be desired. But if Sancho and Rashford had half the work-rate and desire of their Brazilian teammate, United’s fortunes may have been significantly different over the past few years.
Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images
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