"I'M NOT FUCKING LEAVING!"
Reports from Jorge Nicola, a Brazilian journalist, has dismissed reports that Antony could leave United.
There was news circulating that the club could look to loan or move the number 21 out permanently with there even being a potential swap deal for Antony and Flamengo teenager Lorran, via Transfer News Live.
Nicola says that he found this potential swap deal "weird" and that talking to a representative of Antony's (Junior Pedroso), he says that "Antony has no intention of leaving Manchester United", Nicola speaking to Sport Witness.
The 24-year-old still has two-and-a-half years left on his current contract taking him to June 2027 before the end of his deal, a deal that cost United £80m.
Yeah, still don't know how we paid that. This price tag is not on Antony nor Ajax as United were silly to pay so much for a player with potential rather than a finished product.
However, unfortunately for Antony, this price tag will always hang over his head in that he could be an '£80m flop' at United if he doesn't turn things around.
But with a new manager in Ruben Amorim arriving, it is kind of a clean slate for all players at the club. While we all have our ideas of who could best suit Amorim's system, we can't truly know who will turn out best in that never before seen 3-4-3 formation at United.
Perhaps Antony could flourish under Amorim. Perhaps this style is perfect for Antony.
What we do know from Amroim's time at Sporting and from his own words is that he wants players with high intensity at the club. Of course we cannot buy anyone new at the moment so out of the current group of players, who ticks that intensity box is the question.
United over the years have had a problem when it comes to working hard and outrunning the opposition. We all remember Erik ten Hag running 14km with the squad after the humiliating 4-0 loss at Brentford two seasons ago.
That sort of thing won't sit well with Amorim and while we haven't seen something as bad as that since that horror show at the Gtech Community Stadium, we still haven't seen anything that is anywhere near good enough in terms of that intensity and work rate.
A lot of our players are going to have to pull their socks up otherwise they will NOT make it into Amorim's team.
But coming back to Antony, I've always felt that one of his best attributes is his work rate. Regardless of ability, the Brazilian almost always gives off his best, unless you tell him to play left-back that is.
Yet in saying that, with Amorim playing wingers as his 'wing-backs', could that be a route into his side for Antony?
As I said, Antony works tirelessly all game and plays out wide. Those wide positions are super important to Amorim's football and he needs the right profile of winger for those places.
Work rate and intensity is what's required from them and Antony definitely ticks those boxes for me.
The only thing left for Amorim to do with the 24-year-old is improve his passing, shooting, dribbling, skills, team play and adding a variety to his game.
Not too many things then 😅.
So do I believe Antony has a chance to revitalize his career at United under Amorim?
No, no I don't.
I haven't seen anything in his time at the club that would suggest he is a player who is one that is going to tear things up in the future. He is still only 24 so there is enough time and with a new manager there is always a chance but really, looking at his style of play, Antony just isn't it.
His first season was alright but last season, he was nowhere near good enough and had his issues off the field which wouldn't have helped. For him to be on the peripheries of the team despite almost the entire squad being out with injury isn't a good look for the Brazilian.
He has been at the club long enough to have established himself in the team. Two-and-a-half years is a long time in football when considering how many games are played a season.
Antony has only shown moments and glimpses of how good he can be but never anything to get you hard or make you think he's going to be a world beater. He is much too inconsistent.
Even this season, he's been available for most of it yet has hardly featured. Erik ten Hag, the manager who 'made' Antony, didn't use him that much.
Hopefully he can turn things around one way or another but I just don't see it.
You reckon Antony will come good for United or has that ship sailed?
Background Image: Antony | Creator: Ash Donelon | Credit: Manchester United via Getty Images Copyright: 2024 Manchester United FC - SuperSport