Man Utd's €100m star Antony shining thanks to Ronaldo

FT Desk

14 Oct 2022 01:40 CDT
3 min read

Antony has impressed since joining Manchester United from Ajax this summer, but he is grateful for to Cristiano Ronaldo for helping him settle at the club.

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Antony has scored three goals from his first three Premier League games, against Arsenal, Manchester City and Everton, meaning he has scored every 79.3 minutes he has played in England's top flight.

Antony had some doubters after his €100 million transfer in August, most notably from Dutch former Ballon d'Or winner Marco van Basten, but he is silencing his doubters, with no little help from Ronaldo.

Stop that, Antony! 🔥pic.twitter.com/Dqzje28b9O
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 14, 2022

"Since I arrived here, Cristiano Ronaldo has really helped me feel at ease," Antony - who has bought Paul Pogba's house - told Man Utd's official website.

"He speaks to me a lot, on matchdays as well. He always tells me to be calm and confident, he's achieved so much in football, and I learn from him every day. I'm really grateful to have such an experienced person teaching us young players every day."

Plenty in common

Antony has broken into the United team in largely the same position as Ronaldo did back in 2003, on the right wing, although these days the wide men are often inverted with left footers on the right, as is the case with Antony.

Ronaldo has long since evolved into a central striker, one who scored a team-high 18 goals for United last season, but his future at the club looks uncertain under Erik ten Hag, who has only started him five times in all competitions and once in the Premier League.

Antony isn't worried for Ronaldo, though.

"His mentality, it's so strong," he said. "He's very intelligent. This mentality of his, looking to the next day, everything still to play for, it's what I’m trying to take on board and keep for the rest of my life."