According to The Mirror, the Premier League side are reportedly willing to offload Antony in the January transfer window in a desperate attempt to bolster their forward line. The winger has struggled since joining the Red Devils and a loan stint away could be floated to help him rediscover his confidence with his £85m move looking like an expensive mistake.
The report adds that United have shortlisted Barbosa as a top target and they are keen to strike a deal for his services as soon as possible. Flamengo may be open to the deal if it includes taking Antony on loan in part exchange.
If United manage to advance in their negotiations for Barbosa, they may still have to fight off competition from AC Milan for the attacker, who can play anywhere across the front three. West Ham were also close to signing him in a £35m deal in January 2022 before talks collapsed and the Hammers later signed Gianluca Scamacca.
There are other potential United targets on their list in case they fail to make progress. Porto centre-forward Mehdi Taremi, who impressed at the World Cup for Iran and is out of contract next summer, would represent a cut-price option, while Victor Osimhen is a more expensive target as the Napoli star could cost in excess of £100m.
