Antony vows to turn Man Utd career around in defiant interview

Antony has rubbished reports of a summer exit from Manchester United as he vowed to come good on his £82m price tag this coming season.

Since his 2022 switch from Ajax, Antony has netted just 11 goals for United and he has not always been a permanent starter under Erik ten Hag, who has favoured young Amad Diallo during pre-season.

Reports of a possible summer exit from United have been common but Antony made it clear to The Telegraph that his focus is on succeeding for the Red Devils.

"I'm someone who demands a lot of myself and I was obviously not satisfied with my season but a lot happened over the year in my personal life," he said. "Like it or not, everything I went through had an effect on the pitch."

Antony faced allegations of domestic violence against a former partner last season which was investigated by police in both Brazil and England, and he has never shied away from discussing the impact those events had on him as both a person and a player.

"Everything I went through was very difficult for me and all my family," he continued. "I've learnt from it all, I've grown and matured. I believe I learnt a lot from the adversity. I learn from everything I go through. That’s why I said I put the past behind me. I matured and grew from it all and this will make me stronger going into this new season.

"New season, new mindset, I’m a lot more focused and prepared to achieve great things. I know that this season will be totally different.

"I feel a lot less burdened and more prepared as well – a lot freer to do what I genuinely know how to do. I definitely need more goal participations and to score more goals, it’s something I demand from myself. Rest assured you’ll hear the name Antony in relation to goals and assists."

Antony went on to insist criticism from fans and rivals does not impact him as it does not compare to his childhood experiences with adversity.

"I saw a lot of friends go down another path and some of them lost their lives," he reflected. "I always persisted and believed in my dream to be where I am today. When people talk about me or criticise me, I always find solace in where I came from. I’ll never let anyone else write my story or let people put me down as I genuinely know what it’s like to be at the bottom.

"A lot of people don’t have this understanding of where you come from, what you’ve overcome. You come from nothing and now have practically everything with such ease – it’s difficult to deal with all of this.

"You go from not having enough to eat. I didn’t have a bedroom when I lived in the favela. I slept on the sofa in the living room, my house would flood when it rained heavily. I don’t use it as an excuse for my performances as I demand a lot of myself to always be playing well. But these are things that people don’t see, what we went through and suffered before."

Finally, Antony thanked Ten Hag for his continued support during his difficult two years in England.

"I have tremendous affection for the coach, as he well knows, and he has a lot of affection for me," Antony said. "Whenever we talk, he always mentions my roots in the favela, because he knows – not everything – but a bit about what I’ve been through and overcome. I am really grateful to him. He's a great coach and he knows he can rely upon me."

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