September 09, (THEWILL) – Manchester United have confirmed that star forward Antony will not immediately return to the club, as he addresses allegations of assault made against him by his ex-girlfriend.
The Brazil international was withdrawn from international duty last week, following claims made by Gabriela Cavallin. Although Antony denies any wrongdoing, a statement from the club read: “It has been agreed with Antony that he will delay his return until further notice in order to address the allegations.”
Both Brazilian police and Greater Manchester Police are looking into the matter. Antony has stated he will fully cooperate with the investigations. The club added: “We condemn acts of violence and abuse. We recognise the importance of safeguarding all involved and the impact these claims have on victims.” United next host Brighton on Saturday, with Antony now absent.
It will be a challenging period for Erik ten Hag after the international break with United yet to impress this season and dealing with injuries to key players, including Sofyan Amrabat, the new signing who left the Moroccan squad with an injury precaution, another new signing Mason Mount, defenders Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw.
There is also the controversy surrounding a face-off between Ten Hag and Jadon Sancho yet to be resolved and the nebulous concerns around the exit of Mason Greenwood, whose case comes to mind given the revelations in the Antony case. United placed Greenwood on indefinite leave in August 2023 after an internal inquiry concluded that he did not commit the offences but made mistakes in his relationship. He then left the club on transfer deadline day to join Getafe on loan.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
