Antony Speaks Out on Ruben Amorim and Man Utd Treatment Before Real Betis Transfer
Former Manchester United winger Antony has once again addressed the treatment he received from both Ruben Amorim and the club before he completed his move to Real Betis.
Antony, 25, endured a torrid time at Man Utd following his £86million move from Ajax in August 2022.
In 96 appearances for the 20-time Premier League champions, the Brazilian contributed with just 12 goals and five assists, failing to impress the Old Trafford faithful as well as head coach Amorim, 40.
After being frozen out at United, the 25-year-old enjoyed a successful loan spell at La Liga side Real Betis in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, helping the Spaniards reach the UEFA Conference League final, which they lost against Chelsea.
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Nonetheless, Antony’s impressive performances earned him the respect of the Betis fans, players and hierarchy, but he returned to United upon the expiration of his loan move in June.
And his Old Trafford nightmare continued when he was forced to train away from the first-team with the so-called ‘bomb squad’ made up of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho.
Antony has cut an emotional figure on several occasions when speaking about his difficulties at United and even suggested that he “thought about stopping playing” during an interview with TNT Sports Brazil back in May.
“I went through difficult times (at United) when I no longer felt that pleasure,” Antony explained.
“I even told my brother that I couldn’t take it anymore.”
But finally, Antony moved from United to Betis for a reported £21.6m on transfer deadline day in September.
It’s fair to say the transfer was a huge relief for all parties involved, and the winger has since opened up about his final months as a United player.
In a wide-ranging interview with Spanish outlet AS, the Brazilian claimed that it was “a little scary” when it appeared that the move might not happen near the end of the transfer window before going on to offer his thoughts on Red Devils coach Amorim.
Antony claimed: “I didn't speak much with Rúben Amorim; there wasn't much contact. His decision to allow me to train separately was a given. But I had to respect it. Today I'm fine; I took care of myself by training well even though I was apart. After three months, I played 90 minutes, and that's the result of what I was working on.”
He went on to dismiss claims that the hefty price tag after his switch from Ajax to United was a hindrance and was quick to stress that there were also good times at United, such as winning the 2022/23 League Cup and 2023/24 FA Cup.
The winger added: “The bad things I went through in England really strengthened me mentally. Now I take better care of myself mentally because I know that when I'm in a good frame of mind, things turn out well for me."
Antony has made five appearances for Betis since his summer move, registering one goal and one assist.
Topics: Antony, Transfer News, Football, Premier League, La Liga, Ruben Amorim, Man Utd
Luke Davies