Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise would be an upgrade on Manchester United’s current wingers with one former Premier League ace labelling him ‘better than Antony’.
The statistics certainly back up Danny Murphy’s point, the one-time England, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder reacting to claims that Michael Olise could become the first marquee signing of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era at Manchester United.
Antony, since arriving at Old Trafford for a staggering £86 million, has produced a very underwhelming tally of six goals or assists in 41 Premier League appearances. Olise, in the same time frame, has 19 to his name, with six coming in 2023/24 alone.
Palace’s number seven beats Antony not only in the numbers department, but in the eye test too. Olise plays with a fluid, free-flowing swagger. He’s also perfected the sort of Arjen Robben-esque finisher move that Antony feels both overly-reliant on yet unable to produce with any sort of regularity.
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“He’s better than Antony, isn’t he. He’s better than what (Manchester United) have got,” Murphy tells talkSPORT (3 January, 12pm).
The one concern Murphy has, following claims from The Standard that Olise is likely to be very high on United’s Ratcliffe-tailored, homegrown-heavy wishlist next summer, is that the London-born France Under 21 international remains ‘unproven’ at a club of the Red Devils size and ambitions.
“He is proven in premier league but unproven at a big club,” Murphy adds. “United should be going for players who would make them competitive with Manchester City, and Olise is not that yet.”
Then again, how many times in recent years have we seen Manchester City, Liverpool and even Arsenal snap up young, up-and-coming players before transforming them into bonafide world-beaters? Man United haven’t exactly had much success with their ‘reputation over potential’ approach in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. And who’s to say Olise cannot make an impact similar to, say, Mo Salah at Liverpool or Kevin de Bruyne at Manchester City, players who arrived with vast yet untapped talent.
Only Salah and De Bruyne produced more assists than Olise’s 11 in 2022/23. Erik ten Hag witnessed his game-changing talents first-hand too, the £8 million signing from Reading rescuing a stoppage-time point for Palace against United with a sumptuous free-kick in January.
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Murphy, meanwhile, sees little in Antony’s recent performances to suggest that better days are around the corner for the embattled Brazilian.
“He’s struggled, and I don’t see the improvement,” adds the 2001 FA Cup winner. “(He must spend time) working on his right foot more, putting crosses in, looking at players like Riyad Mahrez.
“Ultimately, if you play as a winger or a forward for any club, you are judged on goals and assists. And his are nowhere near.”
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