Just two weeks after deciding to split company with Mason Greenwood, winger Antony has been accused of violence, leaving Manchester United with another personnel issue.
Following the charges made by an ex-girlfriend, the Brazil star was removed from the national team for World Cup qualifying matches, and all eyes are on how the Old Trafford club will respond.
The Red Devils said this month that striker Greenwood, who was detained in January 2022 on suspicion of harassing a young lady after pictures and videos were uploaded to the internet, will depart the team amicably.
The two incidents compound United’s shaky start to the Premier League season.
Their performance has been inconsistent, and controversial owners the Glazer family are said to have pulled the team off the sale after failing to get a bid that would have matched their asking price, adding to the uncertainty.
However, choosing how to handle the Antony situation will be the club hierarchy’s main priority in the near future.
-Antony dropped- The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) stated that the player was removed in order to “preserve the alleged victim, the player, the Brazil team, and the CBF”.
In a statement posted on Instagram on Monday, the 23-year-old denied physically attacking Gabriela Cavallin and said he was the “victim of false accusations.”
It followed the publication of WhatsApp texts between Antony and Cavallin that purportedly show the footballer threatening his ex-partner.
Cavallin claims he must apologize for “kicks and assaults” in one of the exchanges published by Brazilian media.
Then Antony appears to say “sorry” in response.
In one image, Cavallin is also visible with what seems to be a head injury.
Greater Manchester Police stated they were “aware of the allegations made and inquiries remain ongoing” in a statement to the Daily Telegraph in Britain.
For an initial sum of 95 million euros ($102 million), Antony joined United last year but has struggled to deliver regularly, scoring only eight goals in 48 outings.
However, football will probably take a backseat as United weighs their options after receiving criticism for how they handled the Greenwood situation.
The 21-year-old England striker was accused of attempted rape and assault, among other offenses, but prosecutors stated in February of this year that the case had been dismissed as a result of key witnesses withdrawing and the discovery of fresh evidence.
In response to public anger over reports that the player would be kept on by the team after a six-month internal probe, the team announced in August that the player would restart his career elsewhere.
Greenwood later signed a loan deal with Spanish team Getafe and participated in his first practice with them on Tuesday.
While inquiries are ongoing, United is expected to face significant pressure to fire Antony.
It occurred in the wake of a controversy that erupted in Spain after federation president Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso after Spain won the Women’s World Cup, igniting a larger discussion about how women are treated.
Tuesday saw an apology from the Spanish football organization for Rubiales’ actions.
The Antony case is the last thing United would have wanted after a turbulent start to the season, but they do have some time on their side since they won’t play again until September 16 following the international break.
The third-placed Red Devils have lost two of their opening four Premier League contests and have lost a number of important players to injury, including Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, and recent acquisition Mason Mount.
Following United’s 3-1 loss against Arsenal on Sunday, Erik ten Hag is also debating how to handle a public falling-out with Jadon Sancho.
Sancho swiftly refuted the Dutch manager’s claim that the England striker, who was left out of the squad for the encounter at the Emirates, had not achieved the necessary “level” in training, calling himself a “scapegoat” in a fiercely written comment on social media.
Even though it is still early in the season, United’s issues are becoming worse.