Manchester United consider shock move to sign ex-Aston Villa forward in free transfer amid uncertainty over Jadon Sancho and Antony: Reports
Manchester United could reportedly launch a surprise move for free agent Anwar El Ghazi, with question marks over the futures of Jadon Sancho and Antony.
The Daily Mail reports that El Ghazi is under consideration, and he even watched United lose 3-1 to Arsenal at the Emirates in the Premier League on September 3. The Dutch winger is without a club after leaving PSV Eindhoven this summer.
The 28-year-old has also received interest from the Saudi Pro League, but Manchester United may turn to him due to Sancho and Antony's situations. The former is at loggerheads with Erik ten Hag after he was left out of the squad that lost to the Gunners.
Ten Hag claimed that Sancho had underperformed in training, but the English winger took to X (formerly Twitter) to hit back at his manager. Sancho claimed that he was being a scapegoat, and reports claim that talks between the pair haven't mended the situation.
Meanwhile, Antony is taking a leave of absence due to an investigation into alleged assault on his former partner. The Brazilian will be unavailable before the investigation concludes, which could be months.
Hence, Manchester United are pondering a move for El Ghazi to help aid the potential crisis on their wing. Fans may be surprised to learn that the Dutch attacker hasn't played under Ten Hag.
The Red Devils boss has a knack for signing players he has already worked wit, like Sofyan Amrabat, Antony and Lisandro Martinez. Winger El Ghazi has played for Ajax, Everton and Aston Villa.
El Ghazi mostly made a name for himself at Villa, bagging 26 goals and 16 assists in 119 games. He spent last season with PSV in the Eredivisie and did conjure up some credible numbers: nine goals and two assists in 31 games across competitions.
Given that he's available as a free agent, he might be an enticing option to fill the void left by Antony. It remains to be seen whether Sancho returns to the first team considering his issues with Ten Hag.
Sancho could look to leave Manchester United in January
Sancho's situation at Manchester United is a precarious one, and it looks as though he's now considering leaving the club. Reports claim that following discussions with Ten Hag, he's leaning towards departing in January on a potential loan deal.
The 23-year-old has struggled for game time under Ten Hag, only making three substitute appearances this season. He has also endured a nightmare spell since joining the Red Devils from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million in 2021.
Sancho has managed just 12 goals and six assists in 82 games across competitions. His former club Dortmund are interested in sealing his return to Signal Iduna Park (as per Eursport).