Antony's agent "completely disagrees" with Ruben Amorim's assessment of the winger and seemed to suggest a deep-rooted problem at Manchester United was to blame for his poor form.

There were high hopes for Antony when he signed for United in a £86million deal from Ajax in the summer of 2022, but he failed to replicate the form he showed in the Netherlands.

Antony contributed just 12 goals and five assists in 96 appearances and has scored only once in the Premier League since April 2023. The Brazilian's time in Manchester didn't go as planned, although he received the chance to breathe life into his career at Real Betis in the winter window.

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Antony completed a move to Betis on loan until the remainder of the season in January and sources indicated the Spanish club are covering a minimum 84 per cent of his salary.

Since then, Antony has rediscovered his form, which has seen him contribute three goals and two assists across seven appearances. The 25-year-old even scored a stunning volley from the edge of the box against Real Sociedad last month and United fans have been left scratching their heads.

Junior Pedroso, Antony's agent, has given an interview to Spanish outlet Marca about his client's sudden improvement and he explained that he strongly disagrees with Amorim's verdict.

The interview with Pedroso produced some sensational quotes and the agent also appeared to suggest United are to blame for Antony failing in Manchester, not the player himself.

"We respect the opinion of coach Ruben Amorim, but we completely disagree with his analysis [of the winger]," said Pedroso. "To attribute Antony's lack of success at Manchester United solely to the question of physicality is a very superficial argument and does not reflect reality.

"The truth is that Antony has not had enough prominence or the confidence necessary to play his best football. Of the 15 games in which Amorim managed Manchester United, he only used Antony in nine, with a total of 252 minutes played. This represents only 18.6% of the total possible minutes (1,350 minutes). How can you judge an athlete without a minimum sequence to prove his worth?

"The manager's statement, although perhaps it was not his intention, ends up devaluing La Liga and the Spanish competitions. Spanish football has one of the most competitive leagues in the world, with top-level teams that constantly compete in the final stages of the Champions League and the Europa League.

"The reality is that Antony, since he arrived at Real Betis, has become one of the best players in the team and in the competition itself, demonstrating his full potential when given the right conditions to develop his game. This highlights that the problem was not the physicality, but the context and the way he was managed in Manchester.

"Many players who do not prosper at United find success at other clubs, which leads us to wonder if the problem really lies with the players."

Betis agreed to cover any potential bonuses that are achieved in Antony's contract and arranging a permanent sale for the Brazilian will be at the top of United's priority list this summer.

Antony featured in 13 of United's matches in all competitions this season before leaving on loan.