Antony’s agent hits out at Man United’s Amorim

Antony’s Agent Disagrees with Manchester United’s Amorim on Player’s Physicality

In the world of football, opinions are as varied as the fans who follow the sport. Recently, a new debate has emerged surrounding Antony, the Brazilian winger who has been making headlines since his move to Real Betis on a six-month loan from Manchester United in January. The discussion was sparked by comments from United’s coach, Ruben Amorim, who suggested that Antony lacks the physicality needed to thrive in the Premier League.

Antony’s agent, Júnior Pedroso, has come forward to express his disagreement with Amorim’s assessment. In a statement to Marca, Pedroso said, “We respect the opinion of coach Ruben Amorim, but we completely disagree with his analysis.” He went on to argue that attributing Antony’s struggles at Manchester United solely to his physique is a “very superficial argument” that doesn’t reflect reality.

Let’s take a closer look at the numbers. Since his £85 million ($109m) transfer from Ajax in 2022, Antony scored only 12 goals in 96 appearances for the Red Devils. It’s a statistic that has fueled the debate about his performance in the Premier League. Amorim, who took over the coaching job at United in November, pointed to the physical demands of the league as a reason for Antony’s struggles.

However, Pedroso believes that Antony wasn’t given a fair chance to prove himself under Amorim’s management. “The truth is that Antony has not had enough prominence or the confidence necessary to display his best football,” Pedroso stated. He highlighted that out of the 15 games Amorim managed Manchester United, Antony was used in only nine, playing a total of 252 minutes. This represents just 18.6% of the total possible minutes (1,350 minutes). Pedroso questioned, “How can you judge an athlete without enough time for him to demonstrate his worth?”

Antony himself has acknowledged that his move to Betis was what his career needed after not making an impact at Old Trafford. Since joining Betis, Antony has been an instant hit, scoring two goals and setting up two more in five LaLiga appearances. His agent, Pedroso, described the experience as “incredible” for both Antony and his family. “It seems that he has been at Betis for years, so natural has his adaptation been,” Pedroso said. “He feels completely comfortable in Seville and is delighted with the city and the club. All this reinforces that the decision was absolutely correct.”

Pedroso also praised LaLiga as the ideal destination for Antony, noting that Betis is a competitive team with a style of play that suits Antony’s qualities. He also highlighted the role of Betis’ experienced coach, Manuel Pellegrini, in making the most of attacking players.

While the loan deal that brought Antony to Betis did not include an option for the Spanish club to automatically make his stay permanent this summer, Betis has already expressed interest in keeping Antony beyond the current season. The 25-year-old, however, still has a contract with Manchester United until June 2027.

• Antony’s agent disagrees with Ruben Amorim’s analysis.
• Antony scored 12 goals in 96 appearances for Manchester United.
• Antony has been successful at Real Betis, scoring two goals in five appearances.
• Betis is interested in extending Antony’s stay.

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: Antony’s journey in football is far from over. Whether he remains at Betis or returns to Manchester United, fans will be watching closely to see how his career unfolds.