The talent, class and mentality that Kobbie Mainoo possesses at just 19 years of age is simply incredible, and there’s no debate that he’s the future of Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag’s superstar made 24 Premier League starts during his debut campaign, and he’s set to play a role for England at the European Championship this summer.
The academy graduate is set to be handed a new contract before next season, which would see his pay rise.
Yet as of right now, there’s a far less impactful player who’s remarkably earning ten times more than Mainoo. To put it simply, he's rinsing Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Antony’s debut season at Man United
At the start of Ten Hag’s reign as Man United manager in 2022, Antony followed his boss from Ajax to Old Trafford.
The Brazilian winger was regarded as a promising winger who had “amazing potential,” as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, and he joined the Red Devils for £82m.
His life in Manchester couldn’t have started any better, scoring in all of his first three Premier League starts, including goals against Arsenal and Manchester City.
Throughout the campaign, the number 21 made 47 appearances, scoring ten goals and providing five assists, but his campaign last term wasn’t quite as successful.
Antony’s salary at Man Utd
This season, Antony has failed to push on from his first season in the Premier League, with United legend Rio Ferdinand even labelling him “embarrassing.”
The 24-year-old started the campaign as the first-choice right winger, but as each week went by, he slowly began to be replaced by Alejandro Garnacho.
This meant that the Brazilian only started 15 Premier League games, with an output of one goal and one assist, with that one goal coming at the end of April.
The left-footed ace didn’t get a single minute of action during the last three games of the season, including United’s FA Cup victory over Manchester City.
Casemiro
£350k
Marcus Rashford
£300k
Mason Mount
£250k
Bruno Fernandes
£240k
Antony
£200k
Because of the severe drop in performance, it’s no surprise to see that the Red Devils will look to bolster the right-wing spot this summer, with Michael Olise being looked at as a potential replacement.
On top of that, Antony’s wage has become a problem. He earns a whopping £200k per week, which is ten times more than what Mainoo earns, £20k per week.
This means that Antony is one of the highest-paid players at the club, and when Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane officially leave, he’ll become the fifth-highest-earning United ace.
The Brazil international also has one of the highest salaries in the entire league when compared to right-wingers, even earning more than Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer, who registered 25 and 33 goal contributions, respectively.
It’s quite clear that Antony hasn’t justified his extreme wage, particularly considering what he’s on compared to players who are much more influential.
Therefore, it may be a wise decision to look at potential destinations for the winger this summer, as a repeat of last season cannot occur.
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