Better than Antony: Man Utd fumbled Sancho upgrade by selling “electric” whiz for £15m

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Manchester United made no acquisitions during the recent January transfer window, indicating that they decided not to enter the market to bolster their first-team roster.

Although the Red Devils have maintained their position of strength until the summer, they did decide to part ways with some players last month who were on loan.

Temporary moves were approved for Hannibal, Facundo Pellistri, Donny van de Beek, and Jadon Sancho, while Sergio Reguilon was returned to Tottenham Hotspur following his time at Old Trafford in the first half of the season.

Jadon Sancho and Erik Ten Hag’s falling out

Sancho’s relationship with Erik ten Hag broke bad, making his situation at United seem untenable. He moved on loan to Borussia Dortmund before the second half of the season.

According to reports, the England international was not happy that several players, including Antony, were chosen before him despite what he considered to be their lacklustre performances.

After a public argument between the two, Ten Hag asserted that Sancho would decide whether or not to rejoin the team; the forward’s loan departure indicates that he chose not to reintegrate into the manager’s plans.

Manchester United’s Jadon Sanchez
The winger may have already been a dream improvement when the club traded Anthony Elanga to Nottingham Forest last summer, but they made no attempt to find a replacement.

The Sweden international was let go by United for an estimated £15 million after the Tricky Trees defeated Everton to get him.

Given Sancho and Antony’s difficulties and the 21-year-old whiz’s stellar Premier League performances this season, it appears that ten Hag made a mistake with that choice.

This season’s problems for Antony

There was some validity to the now-Dortmund star’s worries regarding the Brazilian’s playing time compared to his goal scoring output.

The former Ajax star has started 11 Premier League games and made 19 appearances so far this season, but he has not contributed a goal or an assist.

Given that Antony has zero goals from 1.49 xG, it appears that he has wasted resources up front. But 1.48 xA from the left-footed flop suggests that his colleagues have occasionally failed him.

Ten-Hag Antony Man United Premier League
He would still have just one assist and no goals in 19 games if his teammates had played to the calibre of opportunities the 23-year-old flop gave them.

Considering that the £80.75 million player from Ajax only scored four goals and provided two assists in 25 games the previous season, that is not a very good showing in the closing third.

Thus far this season, in 25 games across all competitions, Antony has managed just one goal and one assist, while Elanga has demonstrated significantly greater quality for Forest.

Anthony Elanga’s breakthrough Forest season

Out of his 16 Premier League appearances for United last season, the 21-year-old dynamo—who Paul Robinson famously referred to as “electric”—was only given five starts.

It might be claimed that the Red Devils erred in not loaning him out for the 2022–2023 season to play every week before a return last summer. He did not receive enough playing time to mature and establish his rhythm on the field.

Rather, they hardly used Elanga at all before selling him to Forest, where they are now witnessing his growth and success from consistent playing time in the elite league.

In 16 Premier League appearances for Forest, the Swedish wizard has amassed five goals, six assists, and nine “big chances” generated. This translates to an average of one goal or assist per 1.45 starts.

This indicates that, in the league this season and throughout all competitions, the former United starlet has contributed 11 goals more than Antony.

Elanga is currently in the top 16 for Expected Assisted Goals (0.29) per 90, and among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for assists (0.35) per 90.

Forest, Anthony, Elanga, Nottingham
The fact that the youthful wonder has five goals from an xG of 4.0 indicates that, in addition to his merciless finishing in front of goal, he has been a fantastic playmaker for his teammates on the flank.

All things considered, the former United prodigy has continuously demonstrated his ability to score goals and create goals this season, indicating that he would have been a fantastic upgrade over Sancho.

United’s Jadon Sancho’s troubles

The problems for the former Manchester City youngster occurred both on and off the pitch prior to his loan return to Dortmund in the January transfer window.

After a lacklustre 2022–2023 season, Sancho began this season with zero goals and zero assists in three top-flight games before falling out with ten Hag.

The 23-year-old jewel, who contributed three goals and three assists in 29 Premier League games in his debut season at Old Trafford, was not able to consistently produce playmaking of the highest calibre in front of goal.

The table above shows that Elanga’s current performances for Forest are better than what Sancho accomplished throughout his relatively regular season as a starter for United last year.

The Tricky Trees magician has already created three more “big chances” and contributed two more goals in five less starts than the English winger did throughout the 2022–2023 Premier League season.

Manchester United’s Jadon Sanchez Old Trafford Premier League
This shows that if United had stuck with Elanga and given the young player more chances to play frequently, he could have been a fantastic upgrade over Sancho in his current form.

For the Red Devils, it would have been the perfect situation because it would have been a club-wide answer to their issues rather than forcing them to enter the market in search of upgrades for Antony and Sancho, as they could have had to do in the summer.

Now, fans of United might keep observing Elanga’s outstanding performances for Forest in the premier league this year and ponder what might have been.

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