ANTONY’S agent has fired back at Ruben Amorim’s suggestion that the winger lacks the physicality to thrive in the Prem.
The 25-year-old winger, who joined Real Betis from United in January on a six-month loan, has made an instant impression for Manuel Pellegrini‘s side, notching three goals and two assists in seven games.
Antony’s significant upturn in form has not gone unnoticed at Old Trafford.
When quizzed on it, Amorim gave his take on why the Brazilian has flourished at Betis.
Amorim said: “When you play against any team in England, the physicality is there. If you don’t have physicality, you will struggle a lot.
“Antony is so much better now in Spain. It’s because of a lot of factors but I guarantee you it’s physicality.”
And now, Antony‘s agent, Junior Pedroso, has hit back at those comments, with data to suggest Amorim’s comments were off the mark.
He appeared to suggest United are to blame for Antony failing in Manchester, not the player himself.
Pedroso said: “Many players who do not prosper at United find success at other clubs, which leads us to wonder if the problem really lies with the players.
“We respect the opinion of coach Ruben Amorim, but we completely disagree with his analysis.
“To attribute Antony‘s lack of success at Manchester United solely to the question of physicality is a very superficial argument and does not reflect reality.
“The truth is that Antony has not had enough prominence or the confidence necessary to play his best football.
“Of the 15 games in which Amorim managed United, he only used Antony in nine, with a total of 252 minutes played.
“This represents only 18.6% of the total possible minutes (1,350 minutes).
“How can you judge an athlete without a minimum sequence to prove his worth?”
Since joining Betis on loan, Antony has rediscovered his form, which has seen him win Man of the Match in three games.
He even scored a stunning volley from the edge of the box against Real Sociedad last month – who United face in the Europa League on Thursday.
United fans have been left scratching their heads, as he equalled last season’s goal tally in just four games last month.
Pedroso added: “The manager’s statement, although perhaps it was not his intention, ends up devaluing LaLiga and the Spanish competitions.
“The reality is that Antony, since he arrived at Real Betis, has become one of the best players in the team.
“This makes it clear that the problem was not his physicality, but rather the context and the way he was coached in Manchester.”
Antony has told Betis he would be open to extending his loan from United by a further 12 months.
Betis chief exec Ramon Alarcon said: “The other day Antony told me that he wanted to stay another year.
“The player is very comfortable here and was surprised by the facilities we gave him to settle in the city as soon as he arrived.”
Antony, who joined United from Ajax in September 2022 for a reported £86 million, has notched just 12 goals and five assists in 96 appearances.
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