Manchester United celebrated a fruitful deadline day not just because of Senne Lammens’ signing, but because they managed to offload many unwanted players.
The chief among them were Antony, who joined Real Betis, and Jadon Sancho, who moved on loan to Aston Villa.
When the history of Manchester United and their transfers is assessed, Sancho and Antony will stand near the top of the worst-ever transfer list.
It was poetic, then, that the same day these two found a new club, a man who held the title for being one of United’s worst-ever signings also landed in a new team.
Alexis Sanchez joins Anthony Martial’s former club
Antony’s fee hung over his head like a dark cloud, and at least he remained a professional who gave Man Utd fans the odd good memory.
Even Jadon Sancho, as sour an end as it is to his spell, had a moment or two in a United shirt, like the goal against Liverpool to kick-start Erik ten Hag’s era at Man Utd.
Neither of those players arrived at Man Utd and went back crying to their agent on the very first day that they didn’t want to be at the club anymore, thinking of ripping up their contract.
That (dis)honour belongs to Alexis Sanchez, who joined United in a swap deal in 2018, staying for less than two seasons on huge wages before leaving.
Since that loan spell at Inter, he played for them permanently twice, with a spell at Olympique Marseille sandwiched in between.
Most recently, he completed a return to Udinese, where he stayed for two seasons. On this deadline day, he agreed to join Sevilla, one of Anthony Martial’s former clubs.
At 36, Sanchez’s best days are behind him, but his experience and prior experience of La Liga with Barcelona probably turned Sevilla’s head.
Man Utd can’t afford to repeat these three mistakes
Antony and Sancho are the natural successors of Alexis Sanchez in the worst way possible.
The trio represents the sort of signings that Man Utd must avoid at all costs in the future. While the club panicked and overpaid for Antony, Sancho and Sanchez were given humongous wages when their motivation to play for the club was under the scanner.
Ineos have already set about addressing the latter, signing players only when they choose Man Utd and nobody else.
The jury is still out on the former, because a verdict on that can only be delivered with a bigger sample size, but the early signs are good.
The deadline day of the 2025/26 transfer window proved to be extremely poetic for United, with all three of their worst-ever signings moving on.
Two from the club, while one found another club.
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