Antony is known as the joker in Manchester United’s dressing room after his £85m summer move from Ajax, according to reports.
The 22-year-old completed a transfer to Old Trafford on deadline day and has settled in quickly, scoring on his Premier League debut against Arsenal this month in a 3-1 win.
As well as performing on the pitch, Antony has also impressed off it. It’s claimed the player is the ‘number one joker’ in United’s dressing room, a role previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney during the noughties.
“The players all absolutely love Antony,” a source told The Sun. “He’s like a Tasmanian devil. When he’s training and playing he’s 100 per cent on it. And then when it’s time to relax he’s one of the lads and loves a laugh and a joke. He knows Fred from the Brazil national team so he’s been playing a couple of pranks on him with the lads have enjoyed.”
Much is expected of Antony after his transfer. The Brazilian star had a good record at Ajax, scoring 18 goals and providing 14 assists in 57 Eredivisie matches. He’s also done well in the Champions League, scoring three goals and providing four assists in 11 games.
Yet it’s believed Ten Hag wanted Antony to join him at United because of his character, both on and off the pitch. The United manager is a fan of his work rate and tenacity, giving his team some bite after a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last season.
The same is said about Lisandro Martinez, who also joined United from Ajax during the summer. The Argentine star has made a good start to his Premier League career.
The source added: “Martinez is a beast. He trains exactly how he plays He tackles and fights and does whatever it takes to win. He and Antony have slotted into the group really well because they already know what ten Hag expects because he managed them at Ajax.
“They have both been accepted quickly by the dressing room and have given the team a lot of energy. The squad hasn’t been this united for years.”
Writing in his Sunday Times column, Rooney revealed he and Ronaldo were United’s pranksters during Alex Ferguson’s time in charge. “It was always the two of us doing pranks on the manager or other players,” claimed United’s recorder scorer.
Antony may have learnt a few tricks off Ronaldo, who rejoined United’s dressing room 13 months ago after 12 years away at Real Madrid and Juventus. “Words can’t describe Cristiano, the best in the world,” Antony told United’s website in a recent interview.
“In just a few days, I’ve learnt a lot from him. He has an extraordinary mind and, whenever I talk to him, I take a lot from it.”
