Antony’s agent denies Man United are looking to offload the £85m Brazilian and vows he will ‘come back different’ – despite scoring just ONE Premier League goal in 2023

Antony‘s agent has seemingly poured cold water on any links with his client and a move away from Manchester United in a recent interview. 

Antony joined Man United in 2022 from Ajax in an £85.5million deal to reunite with former manager Erik ten Hag, and despite scoring against Arsenal on debut, he has struggled for an impact. 

With just four Premier League goals and two assists in his first season and a half at Old Trafford, there had been rising speculation that he could move away from the club given his lack of impact in the final third. 

The Brazilian international has come in for heavy criticism as a result – especially after it was revealed United scouts had initially valued him far lower than the £85.5m that they forked out. 

However, his representative Junior Pedroso has now claimed that there has been no indication from the Red Devils that they are looking to offload the player. 

The Brazilian has scored only four goals and made two assists in the Premier League since his arrival at the Premier League club

Pedroso (second right) insisted that his client will be back stronger after a below par start to 2023-24

‘Manchester has so far not communicated any interest in transferring him in either the January or summer window,’ Pedroso said.

‘Antony is focused on these four months of the season so he can improve his performance, knowing that he needs to score goals and assists. This is his focus. Today our head is on Manchester United.

‘He knows very well that he needs to score, there’s no point in just playing good games, he has to score goals and provide assists. He is very coherent about this.

‘He will come back different, his head has become a little key and certainly in these four months he will show much more than he showed this season.’ 

It was reported earlier this week that Ten Hag was willing to let both Antony and Jadon Sancho leave for around £50m each as the club look to recover some of the £158.5m spent on the two forwards. 

Sancho has already left the club on loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he has returned to his old club and seemingly burned some of his bridges at Old Trafford.  

Antony has managed neither a goal nor an assist in the Premier League this term in his 17 appearances, and as a result finds himself firmly on the bench. 

In recent games Alejandro Garnacho has been preferred with Rasmus Hojlund through the middle ad Marcus Rashford on the other flank. 

Erik ten Hag was thought to have played a key role in bringing the player to the club, having coached him at Ajax

Ten Hag blamed his player’s poor form on allegations of domestic violence earlier this season, with the winger missing five games for United in the wake of the accusations made by his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin.

Two more women came forward with similar claims, but one has since withdrawn her claim.

The 23-year-old winger attended a voluntary interview with police in Sao Paolo and Manchester but he has not been arrested or charged with any crime, and denies all the allegations. 

Greater Manchester Police said earlier in January that investigations are ongoing.

‘I can explain,’ said Ten Hag. ‘I think it’s very simple. I think his off-field issues stop him playing. It has had an effect, they have had an impact on him, definitely. 

‘So he has to deal with that, so he caused them, so he has to sort them out. We will give him all the support but he has to do better.

Gabriela Cavallin claims Antony attacked her on four occasions, including twice in the UK

‘First year he was okay, in the pre-season he was very okay, first four games he was very good. 

‘For instance, I’ve seen the game against Spurs back and he played a very good game over there but from the moment, he was out and then he came back, he didn’t deliver the performance we should expect from him and he can do so much better.

‘You mention Ajax, I look back there so his effectiveness, and his end product was very high there and also in the Champions League very high. 

‘So I am sure he’s capable of doing this, bringing key actions, key passes, the crosses, the finishing, so his end product in Ajax was very high and he should return to that level but Premier League is more difficult and he’s capable of doing that.’