Ruben Amorim confirms new plan for Antony after Man Utd transfer stance comes to light

Antony is in the last-chance position at Manchester United, with boss Ruben Amorim set to play the £82m contract as a full-back ahead of a crucial January transfer window.

After enduring an increasingly difficult two and a half years at Old Trafford, Antony started new manager Amorim's first home game in charge. United recorded a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League after falling behind the Norwegian champions.

The Red Devils lined up in Amorim's favored 3-4-3 formation, with Antony and Tyrell Malacia as the two wing-backs. It was a new role for the former Ajax winger, who will reportedly be made available for transfer in January.

But Amorim was seemingly impressed with his performance and good news for Antony: he will still feature as a winger at various stages of the match. Discussing the 24-year-old's performance alongside that of substitute Amad, the United boss explained: “Today Amad and Antony behaved like wingers and they remain open.

“What I want is a good one-on-one, to open the field, to play, to close the field if we lose the ball. And that is the same in every team. I think the structure is more fluid than you think with the three defenders.”

Amorim, who was successful with a 3-4-3 formation at Sporting Lisbon, added: “Today we finished without centre-backs, so it was Casemiro. [Noussair] Mazraoui and Luke Shaw. I think it's more the characteristics of the players and not the actual positions of the players.

“When I ask you today what system I use, you saw more 4-4-2 [when we were] defense, I guess? Do you agree? We then use two wide players, just like the other twenty teams in the league. You have to change the characteristics.”

After scoring just 11 goals in his first two seasons, the Brazilian explained how the 2024/25 season could be a fresh start. During an interview with the Telegraph in which he referred to allegations of domestic abuse by his ex-girlfriend, Antony stated: “I'm someone who demands a lot from myself and obviously I wasn't happy with my season, but a lot happened over the course of time. years in my personal life.

“Like it or not, everything I went through had an effect on the field. Everything I went through was very difficult for me and my whole family. I learned a lot, I grew and matured. I believe that I have learned. I learn a lot from the setbacks that I experience. That is why I said that I have put the past behind me. It has made me more mature and this will make me stronger as I enter this new season.”