I went on strike in order to join Manchester United. Currently, I am in need of Ruben Amorim’s assistance in preserving my career.

I went on strike in order to join Manchester United. Currently, I am in need of Ruben Amorim’s assistance in preserving my career.

Erik ten Hag must have experienced a sense of justification when Antony scored on his Manchester United debut just 35 minutes in.

Despite the fact that the Reds had spent a significant amount of money on Jadon Sancho the previous summer, the former United manager had been determined to add his own imprint to the club’s wide options by championing the pursuit of the Brazilian winger.

Nevertheless, Sancho encountered difficulties in his inaugural season at Old Trafford, netting only five goals in 38 appearances. Ten Hag believed that Antony was the better option. It appeared that Ten Hag’s summer-long pursuit of his former Ajax colleague had been vindicated when the Brazilian scored in his first

appearance in United colours, giving the team a 1-0 lead in a 3-1 home victory over Arsenal.The Dutchman’s argument for signing the 24-year-old was further bolstered by his netting in the subsequent Premier League matches against Everton and Manchester City, which complemented his goal against Arsenal.

It appeared that United had made the correct decision to support Ten Hag, as he had scored three goals in his first six appearances. Antony’s initial results were encouraging, and he was still adjusting to life in a new country.

He was entitled to no less than patience.However, a significant number of United supporters and journalists believed that the club was paying an exorbitant sum of money for a player who had never competed in any of Europe’s top five leagues. Devoting €95 million upfront, with an additional €5 million in add-ons due, was an enormous risk.

The wager has not yielded any rewards after little more than two years. Antony scored three goals in six games, but he has since scored only nine in 81 games.

His sole goal this season was scored from the penalty spot in a 7-0 rout against third-tier Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.

Many United supporters were delighted to grant the winger additional time to adapt after he had scored eight goals in his inaugural season. Nevertheless, that forbearance has nearly evaporated. At present, he occupies the lowest position in the competition for a position in the broad area.

Antony’s frustration and disappointment are compounded by his decision to engage in a strike in August 2022 in an effort to secure a transfer to Old Trafford.

He declined to participate in Ajax’s third Eredivisie game of the season, a 1-0 victory over Sparta Rotterdam, due to his desire to reunite with Ten Hag. Alfred Schreuder, who succeeded Ten Hag as Ajax manager, stated,

“Antony is not included in the squad.” Antony informed me that he was not entirely prepared to participate in the game. I am only interested in including individuals in the squad who are entirely dedicated to Ajax. Seven days later, Antony was once again excluded from the roster for Ajax’s 2-0 victory over FC Schneider

, who was terminated by Ajax in January 2023, stated prior to the match that the Antony situation had not changed from the previous week. We engage in internal discussions regarding this matter on a daily basis, as well as with the player.

He reports to the club and we engage in conversation. But I am more interested in the players we have on hand; Antony is not of immediate concern at this time.

Nevertheless, Schreuder issued a stinging critique of Antony’s pursuit of a transfer to Old Trafford following the match, asserting that the winger’s aspiration to relocate to England was motivated by financial gain. It was inevitable that his transfer to United would be completed, as he had stated that he was not interested in playing for Ajax.

The former Sao Paulo winger was expected to contribute the elusive brilliance that the United attack was in need of. Rather, he is at risk of being remembered as the “dumb money” that Sir Jim Ratcliffe accused United of investing in Fred in 2018.

Antony is confronted with an insurmountable battle to reignite his career under the new United head coach, Ruben Amorim, after failing to shine under the manager he would have expected to excel under.

He will be hoping that the implementation of new ideas will provide him with the opportunity to salvage his United career, as he is currently out of favour and has not made a meaningful start this season. If that fails, his tenure at Old Trafford may conclude sooner rather than later.