Antony told what he should do to re-enter Manchester United’s plans
Manchester United spent £82 million on signing Antony from Ajax Amsterdam a couple of years ago but his transfer to the Old Trafford has failed to live up to the billing so far. The Brazilian, who earns £200,000 per week, has been one of the team’s most inconsistent performers, scoring just five times so far in 55 Premier League outings.
He was linked with a move to Fenerbahce in recent weeks as well but with a move to Turkey not materialising for Antony, he is set to be a part of Erik ten Hag’s roster for the ongoing campaign. However, with just one minute under his belt all season, there are growing concerns over what the forward can offer to the team.
In his pre-match press conference ahead of the EFL Cup game against Barnsley, Ten Hag was quizzed about what Antony should do to re-enter his plans, to which the Dutchman replied (quoted by BBC Sport):
“He’s impatient. He wants to play. But in top football there are laws. You pick the team that has most chance to win the game, the one with the best dynamic, the best chemistry. Players have to fight for their positions. We have every day training and the players have to earn the right to play.’
Ten Hag has made some questionable decisions in his time at Manchester United, like that of persuading the club to spend lavishly on signing Antony, but nobody can fault his decision of excluding the winger from his plans so far in the campaign.
Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho have performed exponentially better than the ex-Ajax Amsterdam star while Marcus Rashford, who has not been immune to criticism, also opened his account in front of goal in the Premier League against Southampton last weekend.
However, with a busy season in store, Ten Hag will be obliged to use his squad depth to the maximum in order to prevent further fitness issues, so Antony is bound to have opportunities to prove his qualities in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, while he could even get to play some minutes in the Europa League.
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How the player responds to his manager’s words will be interesting to see but it should not come as a surprise if he decides to consider his future in January if he remains confined to the fringes.