Man Utd prepared to lose £55m on flops as Ratcliffe ‘offers’ two Red Devils to Saudi Pro League

Lewis Oldham
Man Utd transfer
Antony, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.

According to reports, Manchester United are prepared to let two players leave in cut-price deals as they have been ‘offered’ to the Saudi Pro League.

The Red Devils have acted foolishly in the transfer market in recent years and of their major missteps, the signings of Antony and Jadon Sancho have arguably been their worst.

Signed for around £155m combined, Antony (£86m) and Sancho (£73m) have not come close to living up to expectations at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag previously worked with Antony during their time together at Ajax and it was one of his priorities to reunite with the Brazil international ahead of his first season in charge in 2022/23.

It turns out that Man Utd significantly overpaid to land Antony as he only has eight goals and three assists in his 66 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions.

Sancho meanwhile arrived before Ten Hag and was a long-term Man Utd target prior to his £73m move from Borussia Dortmund in 2021.

The England international only managed to impress in fits and starts in a Man Utd shirt and was ousted from the first team at the start of this season after he fell out with Ten Hag.

Sancho refused to apologise for accusing Ten Hag of making him a “scapegoat” and was left on the sidelines before he returned to Dortmund on loan at the start of this window.

The 23-year-old notched an assist in his second debut for Dortmund earlier this month but a permanent return to the Bundesliga outfit is not guaranteed as his loan deal does not include a buy option.

A fresh report from The Evening Standard claims Sancho and Antony have been ‘offered to clubs in the Saudi Pro League, as Manchester United try to recoup some of the £155million they spent on the wingers’.

FEATURE: Antony and Man Utd escapee join Chelsea pair in top 10 market value decreases this season

The Red Devils are said to ‘want around £50m each for Sancho and Antony’. The report adds.

‘United director of football John Murtough met Saudi Pro League and Saudi Ministry of Sport officials at the Club World Cup in December to build connections, with an increased opportunity to sell players expected in the summer.

‘Casemiro is the player most wanted by Saudi clubs. United are inclined to sell the 31-year-old midfielder, who has been out with an ankle injury since October, for the right price.

‘Raphael Varane could also move to Saudi, but United are unlikely to receive a transfer fee for him after opting against exercising a one-year extension clause in his contract.’

Dortmund sporting director Kehl has already raised doubts that Sancho will be there beyond the end of the campaign.

When asked what will happen in the summer, Kehl told Sky Germany: “We will see… Realistically, the chance of Sancho playing for Dortmund in the next season isn’t very high. There was no possibility, in any form economically feasible for us, to secure an option to buy.”