Jadon Sancho's switch to Chelsea - which will see Manchester United pocket £25million next summer - was a positive outcome for all parties. An encouraging pre-season couldn't hide the fact that he had lost the trust of his manager, Erik ten Hag, who hammered that home with early exclusions.
Chelsea's decision to offer Sancho an escape route raised eyebrows. After all, if the 24-year-old failed at Old Trafford, surely he was destined for a similar fate in even more turbulent conditions at Stamford Bridge?
But some players thrive in certain environments, and Sancho has looked right at home in London since returning to his birthplace.
He made his Chelsea debut from the bench at AFC Bournemouth earlier this month and was named player of the match after providing the assist for Christopher Nkunku's late winner.
Enzo Maresca handed him a maiden start in Saturday's trip to West Ham United, and he repaid his faith again by setting up Nicolas Jackson's opening goal.
Ten Hag hasn't missed Sancho, thanks to Amad's uprise, Marcus Rashford's improved form and Alejandro Garnacho's continued development.
United crafted enough chances to comfortably win their 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace hours after Sancho helped Chelsea beat West Ham.
They won their previous two outings 3-0 and 7-0 against Southampton and Barnsley, respectively, with Ten Hag's wingers all contributing.
But while Antony dispatched a penalty Rashford gifted him during last week's Carabao Cup rout over Barnsley, he has struggled to hang with his attacking competition.
And Sancho's inspired early displays at Chelsea have left questions about whether United offloaded the wrong winger in the summer despite his relationship with Ten Hag likely being the primary driving factor.
Antony has managed just three assists in 55 Premier League appearances since his £86m arrival in 2022 and two in his last 33.
Ten Hag will feel like he has two top-quality options in each of his three attacking positions: Rashford and Garnacho on the left, Amad and Antony on the right, and Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee up front.
But Sancho's instant productivity elsewhere while Antony continues to falter hasn't helped simmer the belief that the Dutchman's big-money Ajax reunion was a huge mistake.
There will still be hope that the United No. 21 can come good as a squad option behind Amad and Garnacho in the right-wing pecking order.
However, it seems as unlikely as ever that he will be able to repay the £86m transfer fee that made him the second most expensive player in United's history.
