After a decent debut season which had quite a few highlights, Antony was expected to blossom into one of Manchester United’s most potent attacking options.
Instead, his form nosedived in his sophomore campaign and this season, after Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils finally decided to let him leave on loan to Real Betis during the January transfer window.
Since the move, the Brazilian has been reborn, netting four goals while registering the same number of assists in only 16 appearances. In comparison, the 25-year-old managed only one goal in 14 games for the Old Trafford giants.
United are open to his departure on a permanent basis with Betis keen to keep a hold of him while other clubs have also entered the fray given his resurgence.
Antony’s resurgence in Spain However, it is pretty clear that the INEOS will not come close to earning the 85 million they paid Ajax for him back in 2022 on Ten Hag’s instructions.
Looking back, the Brazil international feels he certainly showed what he is capable of in certain moments and it was his ability that got him a move to Manchester as well as a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
However, the former Sao Paulo star admitted that off-field problems were the main reason for his form tapering off in his second season, something that he failed to recapture during his time in England.
Antony was accused of domestic abuse and United were forced to leave him out of the first-team squad till he cleared his name. Speaking to ESPN Brasil, the winger revealed that how those personal problems eventually derailed his Old Trafford career.
On personal problems affecting his form “I think that, apart from my football life, my personal life got in the way a lot, because of the things I went through, the moments I lived there. Like it or not, it’s affected me a lot. So, of course, I know the potential I have.
“It’s not for nothing that I went to a World Cup, it’s not for nothing that I was sold to United for a lot of money, and I know my worth.
“People look at the moment, but they don’t look at the bigger picture, what happens to bring things about. So, as I said, my feeling at United was that I had good moments, bad moments too, but of course I could have done more, I could have done better.”
He was also asked about Ten Hag and Amorim and his relationship with both United coaches. He thanked the Dutchman for trusting him both in Amsterdam and Manchester even though in his second season, Ten Hag did not trust him as much.
“Erik Ten Hag is a coach I’m very grateful to,” Antony said. “He helped me a lot in the Netherlands, and in England too, even though the opportunities didn’t come the way I wanted to.
On EtH, Amorim “But that’s the coach’s choice, I don’t hold any grudges or anything. On the contrary, I’m very grateful for everything he’s done with me, for all the conversations too. He’s a coach who will certainly be in this story because he helped me a lot.”
The Brazilian also praised Amorim despite the short time they spent together, claiming he was a good coach while wishing him and his parent outfit the best for the rest of the season.
“I’ve only had a short time working with [Amorim], but he’s a very good coach. A very intelligent coach. United are going through a difficult time at the moment, but he’s a good coach.
“I had a good relationship with him, but I needed a new challenge and I wish him all the luck in the world in this final stretch of the season.”
Hopefully, United can end the season strong by winning the Europa League while INEOS can be ruthless in the summer window by raising capital through players sales including that of Antony.
Feature image Fran Santiago via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
