{"id":626655,"date":"2025-12-11T17:09:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T17:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/626655\/"},"modified":"2025-12-11T17:09:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T17:09:19","slug":"more-money-jordi-cruyff-thinks-man-utd-sold-special-player-who-he-tried-to-sign-as-barcelona-sporting-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/626655\/","title":{"rendered":"‘More money’\u2026 Jordi Cruyff thinks Man Utd sold ‘special player’ who he tried to sign as Barcelona sporting director"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Former Barcelona sporting director Jordi Cruyff has now admitted that he tried to bring one ex-Manchester United player to the Camp Nou during his time at the club.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The son of iconic Dutchman Johan Cruyff, former Manchester United<\/a> player Jordi Cruyff followed in his father\u2019s legendary footsteps by playing for Barcelona.<\/p>\n

Who Is The BIGGEST Missed Man Utd Transfer Target Since The 2000s? \u270d\ufe0f\ud83d\ude2d <\/p>\n

It is time to settle this debate once and for all\u2026 \ud83c\udf7f<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n

The 51-year-old Dutch former attacking midfielder made his return to the Camp Nou in his post-playing career after he was appointed sporting director in 2022.<\/p>\n

Cruyff, who was brought to Old Trafford<\/a> by Sir Alex Ferguson<\/a> as a player in 1996, took up his former Barcelona post during a period of turbulence at the Spanish side.<\/p>\n

Barcelona had been saddled by their eye-watering \u00a31.15bn debt in 2021, which also hindered their ability to keep Argentine icon Lionel Messi<\/a> at the La Liga club.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Lisandro Martinez is now key to fixing Ruben Amorim\u2019s major uncertainty around one invaluable Man Utd star<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"FormerPhoto by Jose Breton\/Pics Action\/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesJordi Cruyff now speaks out on former Man Utd winger Antony and another Barcelona star<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jordi Cruyff reunited with former Manchester United teammates Gary Neville<\/a> and Roy Keane<\/a> on the latest episode of The Overlap\u2019s Stick to Football<\/a> podcast.<\/p>\n

The former United player candidly opened up about the major transfer difficulties that he faced at the Camp Nou in Barcelona\u2019s post-Lionel Messi era.<\/p>\n

Cruyff explained that the La Liga outfit were considering a potential move for Antony<\/a> when he was at Ajax ahead of United\u2019s big-money transfer for the Brazilian winger.<\/p>\n

The ex-Barcelona sporting director admitted that Antony, who is now at Real Betis, was identified as one potential transfer target alongside Brazil winger Raphinha.<\/p>\n

WHICH Manchester United loanee have you been most impressed by this season and why?\ud83d\udd25\u26bd\ufe0f <\/p>\n

\"Split <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n

\u201c[\u2026] I remember there was a moment we wanted a winger and we had to choose between Raphinha and Antony,\u201d Cruyff said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when you have a fair play issue, of course, Antony in the end went for much more money than anybody expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we really had to make choices based on, \u2018Okay, if he succeeded [sic] in the Premier League and things go wrong, we\u2019ll always get our money back.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, we\u2019ll always be able to send him to the Premier League [if it didn\u2019t work out].\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Omar Berrada, Ruben Amorim and Jason Wilcox must all unite on same Man Utd \u2018final decision,\u2019 only one outcome is right<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Man Utd legend Gary Neville asks Jordi Cruyff about Barcelona\u2019s transfer interest in Antony ahead of the Raphinha signing<\/p>\n

United signed Antony on deadline day in 2022<\/a> and the 25-year-old Brazil international was reunited with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag<\/a> at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n

The Red Devils agreed a whopping initial fee of \u00a382m for the Brazilian attacker and Antony struggled to live up to the high expectations placed on his shoulders.<\/p>\n

Was Sir Jim Ratcliffe out of order to fire so many staff members? <\/p>\n

Or were mass job cuts a brutal necessity to save money?<\/p>\n

\"ChartManchester United employees<\/p>\n

Credit: Adam Williams \/ GRV Media \/ United in Focus <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n

Responding to Cruyff, Gary Neville asked: \u201cYou looked at Antony closely?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cruyff suggested that Antony fit the profile that Barcelona were looking for with a winger and he insisted that the Real Betis star is a \u201cspecial player.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe looked at both [Antony and Raphinha], basically,\u201d he told Neville.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Antony, we liked [him] because it\u2019s a Spanish [thing]; I mean, now he\u2019s in Betis and he is doing a really good job \u2013 like, he\u2019s a special player.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut back then, we were thinking if we signed a player from Holland and things [went] wrong, you\u2019ll never get your money back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barcelona finally completed a move for Raphinha in 2022 and the La Liga club agreed to pay Leeds United a transfer fee worth up to \u00a355m for the Brazilian.<\/p>\n

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