Jaap Stam fears ’s most expensive signing will never be good enough to reach the level required to play for .
The Untied manager was insistent on the club breaking the bank to sign a player he had coached during their time together at .
in order to land Ten Hag’s primary target during his first transfer window at the helm.
After a bright start, Antony’s form has deteriorated to the extent whereby he looks utterly shorn of the confidence that marked him out as such an exciting talent upon his arrival.
With no goals and just a solitary assist so far this season, Antony is doing little to justify his place in the starting line-up, let alone his fee, and Stam believes there is little chance he will ever make the grade at Old Trafford.
He told : ‘From what I’ve seen from Antony, he’s not good enough for this level that we’re looking for at United.
‘Because you’re also looking for a player who can have a difficult time and struggle when he comes in, but [we can see] where he is making progress to get to that level.
‘When you’re looking at Antony now, at this moment, you don’t see where he can make the progress to make the next step in the Premier League to be up there with the top wingers who can make a difference.
‘In Holland, he did okay but 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 with a couple of good players, and the rest of the league – with all respect – are mediocre players.
‘They’re [Ajax] always dominating so he could always do his trickery, put the crosses in and play a one-two.
‘But at this level – and that’s down to recruitment together with the management – they need to make the right choices to bring the players in who can really make a difference in the Premier League. I was surprised by Antony’s fee.’
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