"He has the potential to play for this club" - Erik ten Hag backs Manchester United flop to do well this season
Erik ten Hag has backed Antony to do well at Manchester United in the near future. He was one of Ten Hag's six signings in his first transfer window as the Red Devils manager.
Antony has, however, failed to justify the €100 million fee (with add-ons) that he was signed for from Ajax in 2022. Although the Brazilian has made 82 club appearances across competitions in the last two seasons, he has just 11 goals and five assists to show for it.
Ten Hag, however, believes Antony can fulfill the potential that he showed at Ajax, which made Manchester United offer him a five-year, £70,000-a-week contract two years ago. Referring to the time when the Brazilian scored a goal each in his first three Premier League appearances in the 2022-23 season, Ten Hag told reporters (via @centredevils on X):
"In the first month he [Antony] showed his potential by scoring three times in the first three games. After that it became more difficult, last season was not good. I'm still convinced that he has the potential to play for this club."
Ten Hag's comments come amidst reports of Antony facing an uncertain future at Manchester United. According to ESPN, the Red Devils are open to loaning out the winger this summer if a club agrees to pay his wages in full.
What Antony has said about Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag
Towards the end of last year, Antony sat down for an in-depth interview where he talked about his form, 'malicious' criticism from pundits, and allegations of assault. During that time, he was struggling to nail down a place in Erik ten Hag's starting XI.
For reference, the 24-year-old didn't complete the full 90 minutes in a single 2023-24 Premier League match until December. Despite his struggles, he had nothing but praise for the Dutch tactician, who also managed him for two seasons at Ajax.
Antony told The United Stand in December last year (via the Evening Standard):
"He taught me a lot, and I owe him a lot for my professional evolution. Of course, in football, we end up experiencing ups and downs, which is normal. But I like him, and I think he's an excellent professional, very capable. It can't be easy to manage such a huge and historic club as Manchester United."
Ten Hag led the club to success in the FA Cup later that season, where Antony was an unused substitute in a 2-1 final win over rivals Manchester City. He was also left on the bench for his team's final two league games in May.
It will be interesting to see if he can force his way back into the club's XI once again, especially with Joshua Zirkzee's arrival and Amad Diallo's gradual rise.