Jaap Stam’s verdict on one Man Utd player seems to have changed since July

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Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam now believes that Antony simply is not good enough for where the club needs to go.

United boss Erik ten Hag is under huge pressure – especially after United’s European exit on Tuesday night.

Not only did United miss out on a route into the Champions League knockout stages, but a bottom-place finish means Europa League football won’t be coming to Old Trafford.

Ten Hag is being questioned from all corners right now and one of his biggest signings has now been criticised…

Jaap Stam offers new verdict on Antony

Ten Hag approved a huge £82million move for Antony in 2022 having coached him at Ajax.

The Brazilian made a dream start with three goals in his first three games but he has really struggled in 2023.

Former United and Ajax defender Jaap Stam suggested in July that Antony has quality but needed to step up ‘one or two gears’ to justify the price tag.

Stam has now offered a new take on Antony whilst speaking to The Overlap – and he appears to have given up on the winger.

Stam suggests that he can’t see how Antony can progress to become a top Premier League wide man, believing that he simply isn’t good enough.

The Dutchman added that he was surprised with the fee United paid for Antony and didn’t even think he was all that good at Ajax, especially against ‘mediocre’ players.

Stam at least saw some untapped potential in Antony over the summer but his opinion now appears to have changed drastically.

“Antony… in what I’ve seen from him, and how he is, he’s not good enough for this level that we’re looking for at United,” said Stam. “You’re looking for a player that, when he comes in, he can struggle, he can have a difficult time, but you’re still looking in a player, is he going to be making progress, so he can eventually get to that certain level?”

“When you’re looking at Antony now, at this moment… yeah, you don’t really see where he can make the progress to make that next step into the Premier League or to be up there with the top wingers.”

“In Holland, he did okay. It wasn’t like he was the best player in Holland, he did okay for Ajax but, then again, they’re playing in a league of a couple of good players and the rest of teams are, with all respect, mediocre players, so they are always dominating and he can always do his trickery and put his crosses in and make a one-two or whatever. I was yeah [surprised at how much United paid],” he added.

Antony stats against Bayern Munich don’t look good

United simply had to beat Bayern on Tuesday night and attacking players had to turn up and make a real impact.

Antony needed to step up but we saw little from the 23-year-old once again.

One shot, which wasn’t on target, no key passes, no attempted crosses and just one successful dribble; that was the output from Antony against Bayern.

Yes, Bayern are a top side with quality players but United needed something from Antony in a win-or-bust game – and he contributed little.

Paul Scholes has branded both Antony and fellow winger Alejandro Garnacho ‘quite selfish’, seemingly frustrated with their approach to wing play.

Unless Antony comes up with some consistent end product, he simply won’t live up to that lofty price tag and will end up going down as one of United’s many transfer mistakes.