UEFA Europa Conference League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off First LegKAA Gent v Real Betis Balompie
Antony has hit the ground running since joining Real Betis on loan from Manchester United (Picture: Getty)
Antony’s agent insists the winger’s future at Manchester United ‘remains an open story’ and his client has nothing but ‘respect’ for head coach Ruben Amorim.
The much-maligned forward has so far failed to live up to his eye-watering £82million price tag across a spectacularly underwhelming two-and-a-half year stay with the Red Devils.
In the hope of resurrecting his stuttering career, Antony completed a January loan move to Real Betis, keen for a fresh start away from the unrelenting spotlight of Old Trafford.
Having managed a total of just one goal in all competitions for United this term, Antony appears to have found a new lease of life and has hit the ground running in Spain.
The 24-year-old Brazil international has found the back of the net in each of his last two matches for Betis and will hope to continue his scoring streak at home to Real Sociedad in La Liga this weekend.
Many had already written off Antony’s United career given his struggles over the last few seasons, with Gary Neville recently picking the attacker out as one of the club’s lousiest ever signings.
But according to Antony’s representative Junior Pedroso, Antony himself remains hopeful of turning his fortunes around under Amorim at the Theatre of Dreams.
Manchester United FC v Newcastle United FC - Premier League
The Brazilian has managed just five goals in 62 league appearances for United (Picture: Getty)
RC Celta de Vigo v Real Betis Balompie - La Liga EA Sports
Antony is playing with a smile on his face again in La Liga (Picture: Getty)
‘Saudi Arabian and Premier League clubs wanted him [in January] but Real Betis was the best solution, he’s so happy there,’ Pedroso told Fabrizio Romano.
‘There’s no buy option and he respects Amorim a lot.
‘His future at Manchester United remains an open story.’
Manchester United v Leicester City - Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Antony has nothing but ‘respect’ for Amorim, according to his agent (Picture: Getty)
Facing the media ahead of United’s trip to Tottenham, Amorim intimated that he was pleased to see Antony enjoying his football and playing with a smile on his face again.
The Portuguese suggested Antony may be benefitting from being ‘more free’ and playing ‘without pressure’ away from a club of United’s stature in the world game.
‘Sometimes it’s like that, it can happen in any club,’ Amorim responded when asked why had managed to be such an instant success with Real Betis.
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‘This is a club with a lot of pressure. At this kind of club you have to have a base of a team to put the younger players, talented players that came from abroad, that come to a team that has one strong base that can help them to cope with that pressure.
‘We don’t have that in this moment so it’s really hard on them and you feel it on [Patrick] Dorgu, he was a little bit nervous in the first moment.
‘But if you are playing better as a team, you have a strong core that can cope with this, are winning games and are really strong in the games like it’s supposed to be at this kind of club, it will be more easy for these kind of players to be free to play their football.
Amorim continued: ‘Football is like that.
‘When you reach that level you need to be able to cope with the pressure.
‘Sometimes they go to other clubs and they are more free without pressure and they play better.’
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