MANCHESTER UNITED flop Antony has revealed how he spent more than 40 days in a £175-night airport hotel as he waited for his exit from the club.
The 25-year-old joined Real Betis for £22million – three summers on from an £86m transfer to United – following a successful loan spell in the second half of last season.
However, Antony has now complained that his treatment from United before his exit was “disrespectful”.
The Brazilian trained separately to the main team and shared the Delta Hotels Manchester Airport Marriott with other members of the Red Devils “bomb squad”, including the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho.
Antony was stuck in limbo while United and Betis thrashed out the details of the deal, after being exiled by Ruben Amorim.
Although, speaking to El Desmarque, Antony did express his gratitude to United for the good times he had with them.
The former Ajax star said: “They were very tough months in England, more than 40 days in the hotel, training separately…
“I feel like they disrespected me, but that’s not the point. I don’t want to create controversy; that’s life.
“I’m very grateful for the club; there were bad times, but also good times, with two titles.
“My family travelled to Seville four or five days before the deal was finalised; I had the house rented. I already spoke to them; my heart was telling me to return to Betis.”
Antony broke down in tears when he was presented as a new Betis player to bring an end to his United nightmare.
The winger also said Betis under Manuel Pellegrini was the “best atmosphere I’ve ever had” and he was excited for the season ahead with hopes of landing a title.
He said: “The team is incredible. It’s the best atmosphere I’ve ever had.
“Everyone is smiling, everyone is talking, and that makes all the difference. Everyone is always together, and that’s important, too…
“I always look at happiness first, and I was very happy here. I know my children and my wife are happy here.
“Before making the decision, I spoke with my family; it’s an incredible city, and the people too.
“Not just the fans, but everyone. I looked at my happiness first, because I know that when I’m happy, things turn out well.
“Money is important, but happiness is much more important.”
Antony added he was dreaming of winning a title for the club, after a heartbreaking defeat in the Conference League final against Chelsea last season.
Betis have lost just one game in La Liga so far this season – winning three and drawing three – and drew 2-2 against Nottingham Forest in their Europa League opener, with Antony getting on the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, his old club have won just two games this season, with a 3-1 loss to Brentford on Saturday seeing them rack up three Premier League defeats plus their historic exit of losing to League Two side Grimsby in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
However, SunSport exclusively revealed how “bomb squad” member Tyrell Malacia has been welcomed back into first-team training for the first time in almost 250 days.
United head coach Ruben Amorim said Malacia would initially return to team training with the under 21s but the Dutchman will now move back into the first team.
Club sources insist Malacia’s reintegration into the senior squad was always planned and is not reactionary amid their poor form.
Malacia has entered the final year of his contract and, unless he leaves United in the winter transfer window, he will be released next year.
The left back did not play for 550 days due to a knee problem that required two rounds of surgery and he was substituted in four of his five starts under Amorim last season.
Man City have two No1s… United have three No2s
ONE of the biggest issues Manchester United had last season was almost every other Premier League side had a better striker, writes Samuel Luckhurst.
Now almost every other Premier League side has a better ‘keeper.
Apart from Southampton’s sinking ship, the other 18 top-flight teams possessed a more accomplished frontman than Rasmus Hojlund. Jamie Vardy was a fading force but still scored more than twice as many league goals as Hojlund, who eked only four.
Benjamin Sesko has not set the world alight and has actually had a worse start to his United career than Hojlund had after six appearances. Yet the bigger problem is up the other end.
Ruben Amorim even admitted last week that Altay Bayindir is not United’s outright number one. Bayindir, with his slick side-parting and Louis Vuitton holdall, looks confident when he arrives at a stadium. On the pitch, he is anything but and his parry late on against Chelsea quickened the heart rate of United fans as they held on for three points.
Senne Lammens, brought in from Royal Antwerp on deadline day for £18.2million, is already 23 but yet to play for Belgium and was not named among their four ‘keepers in the national team’s squad earlier this month. Antwerp were United’s original feeder club, only United never signed anyone from the Belgian side.
United noted that Lammens had one of the highest goals-prevented metrics in Europe last season, made more saves than any other goalkeeper in Europe’s top ten leagues and completed the most progressive passes for any goalkeeper under the age of 23 last season.
Antwerp’s ground holds 16,144 and Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ ended with their semi-final appearance at the 2018 World Cup. Nothing can prepare Lammens for the scrutiny he will be under when he attempts to fill the goalframe in United colours.
Joining United hastened career decline for Andre Onana, forced to flee to Trabzonspor at the age of 29. David de Gea played for a big club in a big league before he took the plunge as a 20-year-old and had an unsettled first year. Fabien Barthez, a World Cup winner, absconded to France after three haphazard years.
We do not know if Lammens is good enough for United. We know Bayindir isn’t. He has shipped 28 goals in 16 appearances and United have won eight. Five of those were in the League Cup and the Europa League.
Bayindir’s new status as a United starter has failed to convince Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella. Bayindir is still the benchwarmer for the national side.
Manchester City have two No.1s and United have three number twos. The goalkeeper is the one position in a team where competition is not required. In all probability, United will go through this entire season without ever settling on an undisputed first choice who their supporters have faith in.
A former United ‘keeper playing for a promoted side would be more dependable and experienced than their two matchday ‘keepers. Martin Dubravka only played twice for United and his season-long loan from Newcastle was terminated at the halfway point but he was a shrewd addition by Burnley.
Karl Darlow was in net for Leeds in their weekend win at Wolves and was under consideration as a loanee by United before they turned to Dubravka in the summer of 2022. Robin Roefs did not cover himself in glory for Matty Cash’s pot-shot at Sunderland but he has been recognised at Under 21 level by Holland.
From the bottom of the ladder up, the case can be made that the incumbent for every team has a superior stopper to United: Jose Sa, Alphonse Areola, Emiliano Martinez, Caoimhin Kelleher, Dubravka, Matz Sels, Bart Verburggen, Nick Pope, Jordan Pickford, Donnarumma, Bernd Leno, Roefs, Robert Sanchez, Dean Henderson, Djordje Petrovic, Guglielmo Vicario, David Raya and Alisson.
Not all of them are good enough to be a long-term United No.1 and Sanchez gifted United victory on Saturday. There is scant evidence to suggest that Bayindir is a more stable presence than any of them.
For a club with such a storied academy, it is a travesty United never gave Henderson a fair crack of the whip. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is to blame for that after he reneged on a pre-season pledge to install Henderson as No.1 in 2021.
United ended up cutting their losses on Henderson by pocketing a meagre £15m up front from Crystal Palace. He was man of the match in their unforgettable FA Cup final triumph in May and pivotal in their second Wembley success against Liverpool in the Community Shield.
Henderson has told confidants he would never return to United. If they did come calling, with the promise of a salary hike and a bigger platform to challenge Pickford for the England spot, one suspects Henderson’s head would be turned.
Though Palace are still better than United at both ends.
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