Man Utd star Antony considered drastic action before securing Old Trafford exit

Antony was ready to retire when his Manchester United days hit rock bottom but is now thriving since leaving the club on loan to join Real Betis, where he’s looked back to his best

Antony considered retiring from football when he was at his lowest point at Manchester United, before reigniting his career during his loan spell with Real Betis.

The Brazilian is among the biggest flops in Premier League history having cost the Red Devils £85million. After scoring on his debut his form nosedived and he became a peripheral figure in the squad before Ruben Amorim allowed him to leave on loan.

Antony’s time in Manchester looked to be all but over, yet he’s shown that he still has his magic and has become one of the standout players in La Liga since the turn of the year. He’s scored nine goals and produced five assists in 25 appearances for Betis.

They have lost just four times since he arrived, which has seen them finish sixth in La Liga and reach the Conference League final as they eye their first-ever European trophy. It is a stunning return to form for the player, who was ready to pack it all in before his 25th birthday.

He told TNT Sports Brazil: “I went through some very difficult times there that ended up affecting me a lot. But I am very grateful even for these difficult moments that I went through. Today, I feel much more mature, much more prepared, I feel much better.

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“It was a moment when I thought about stopping playing. I no longer felt that desire to play football because of everything I was going through, because of all the accusations and because I had remained silent for so long.

“I would always talk to my brother, I used to say, ‘I can’t do it anymore, I can’t do it anymore’. He said: ‘Hold on a little longer and things will change’. I even get emotional because it was very difficult for me. Only I know what it was like inside the house, not even having the strength to even play with my son, having days without eating, staying in my room.

“It was very complicated but with the help of my family with the help of God, I managed to turn things around. I’m already very happy here.”

It has shone a light on the environment in Manchester. Antony, as well as Marcus Rashford, looked to have no way back at Old Trafford before both leaving on loan. Antony and Rashford have since played hugely influential roles during their stints away from United.

Amorim previously claimed he was “not surprised” that his loanees were performing and admitted that it was “a good sign for the club.”

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