Manchester United offered Brazilian star in exchange for out of favour attacker

 Manchester United could land Douglas Luiz from Juventus in exchange for Antony

Manchester United find themselves at a pivotal juncture this summer, with Antony’s future one of the trickiest dilemmas to resolve. The Brazilian winger, a marquee signing in 2022, has struggled to live up to expectations, and the club is now reluctant to continue investing time or minutes in a player who hasn’t delivered. The aim is to facilitate his exit in a way that limits further financial strain. Real Betis are eager to extend his stay in Seville after a relatively positive loan spell, but they are not alone in the race. Juventus remain attentive and could revive their interest under new leadership.

According to Fabrizio Romano via GiveMeSport, Juventus had advanced furthest in previous talks. Their idea involved a straight swap: Antony to Turin and Douglas Luiz to Manchester United. The plan even reached the stage of discussing a double loan with options to buy, a solution that would have suited both clubs’ tactical and financial needs. However, those negotiations collapsed after the departure of Juve’s sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli. With Damien Comolli now at the helm, the deal is frozen.

From United’s perspective, this is a missed opportunity. Securing Douglas Luiz, an established midfielder with Premier League pedigree, would have addressed a key weakness in midfield, all while offloading an underperforming winger. The swap made sense on paper, and United’s failure to close the deal may now complicate any move for Luiz, especially with Arsenal also reportedly interested.

The challenge now is to find another club willing to take on Antony’s wages and offer a mutually beneficial deal. Otherwise, the Brazilian risks becoming another expensive asset stuck on the books with no clear role in Amorim’s system.

Keeping Antony for another year no longer appears to be a rational option. His inconsistency, declining market value, and failure to live up to his transfer fee paint a clear picture, this is a gamble that has not paid off. In a squad riddled with structural deficiencies, clinging to a player who has not justified his spot only deepens the club’s existing problems. United need contributors, not passengers, and every wasted minute on the pitch or space on the wage bill counts.

Sending him back to Betis, even on a simple loan, would be an implicit admission of failure—but it might also be the cleanest way forward. If no firm offers emerge and Juventus remain on the sidelines, then negotiating a loan with a purchase obligation or performance-based clause is the pragmatic route. It won’t recover the full investment, but it may limit further damage. What United cannot afford is to let Antony linger, taking minutes from more promising talents or absorbing resources better spent elsewhere.

The reality is that both Antony and the club need a reset. The 25-year-old winger needs a team where he can start over with less pressure, and United need to focus on players aligned with Ruben Amorim’s vision. Accepting that the transfer was a misstep is not defeatist, it’s smart business. Ending the cycle now allows both parties to move forward, even if it means swallowing some pride.