“He doesn’t train every day”: Manager explains why ex-United forward with 21 g/a this season is struggling

Antony was arguably one of Manchester United’s most controversial signings in recent times. The Red Devils were looking to add more firepower to their attack in the summer of 2022 when they set their sights on the Brazilian forward. Antony had caught the eye with Ajax in the 2021/22 season, scoring 12 goals and setting up 10 more in 33 games. With Erik ten Hag leaving the Johan Cruyff Stadium to take charge at Old Trafford at the end of the campaign, several players from the Eredivisie side were subsequently linked with the English giants. United were also interested in a new defender and moved quickly to sign Lisandro Martinez from Ajax for the job. After a long-drawn saga, the Red Devils agreed a reported £82 million deal for Antony before the end of the summer transfer window. It was the third-highest transfer fee transfer in United’s history after Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku. The deal also set the record for the biggest transfer in the Eredivisie as well as Ajax’s history. Sadly, the player never lived up to expectations at the Theatre of Dreams. Antony’s struggles at Old Trafford Antony was expected to set the stage alight at United, but endured a mixed debut campaign. While there were moments of brilliance, the Brazilian forward did not have the desired impact in the Premier League, finishing his first season with 10 goals and five assists in 47 appearances. Things went from bad to worse the following campaign, with the 26 year old managing just three goals and two assists in 38 outings in all competitions. He was an unused substitute in United’s 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Ten Hag’s departure in October that year further complicated matters for Antony. Having failed to impress the Dutchman’s successor, Ruben Amorim, the player was offloaded on loan to Real Betis in January 2025. Antony was a revelation in LaLiga, prompting the Spanish side to sign him permanently last summer. While the Brazilian started the season well, he is currently experiencing a difficult spell and is struggling to impact games. Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has now provided an insight into the player’s situation. Antony’s injury woes Antony started Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Espanyol, but was replaced in the 66th minute by youngster Pablo Garcia, who made an instant impact. The Betis academy graduate hit the crossbar and almost scored a late winner, suggesting that the Brazilian’s place in the team could soon come under threat. Speaking after the game, as cited by GOAL, Pellegrini revealed that Antony has been struggling with fitness issues. He said: “What’s wrong with him? A bit of everything. First, it’s a physical issue, because he doesn’t train every day.” “Second, he has pubalgia and if we make him play 90 minutes, it’s very difficult for him to recover for the next game. Third, that same pubalgia still gives him some discomfort, but one always expects him to do decisive things as he does.” “We have to continue taking him with great care. I don’t think he is in a position to complete 90 minutes, as I say, because that limits him a lot for the next game.” Antony has registered 12 goals and nine assists in 37 appearances across all competitions for Betis this season. Antony Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played LaLiga2523754-1,939′ UEFA Europa League88531-660′ Copa del Rey43-1–250′ Total37341295-2,849′ Source: Transfermarkt. Final Thoughts Old Trafford decision-makers will hope that Antony can regain his mojo soon as it could help United’s cause in the future. The Red Devils reportedly have a 50% sell-on clause in the Brazilian’s contract, so they are likely to keep an eye on his situation. Featured image Gabriele Maltinti via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.