The trustworthy David Ornstein has reported that Manchester United and Real Betis have reached an agreement over Antony’s permanent transfer.
He enjoyed a sharp improvement in form and fortunes while on loan at Betis for the second part of the previous season.
In August 2023, he signed a contract worth approximately €95 million plus an additional €5 million in add-ons to join United. Despite having a respectable initial season in England, he gradually lost favor under Erik ten Hag as his performances deteriorated.
When Ruben Amorim arrived, Antony’s circumstances did not get much better as the Brazilian found it difficult to make an impression on the Portuguese coach. But his time in Betis was far more fruitful, as he made 26 appearances in all competitions, tallying nine goals and five assists.
Antony helped the Spanish team finish sixth in the league and get to the UEFA Conference League final, where they lost to Chelsea 4-1.
Naturally, Betis was eager to have him return, but negotiations with United continued throughout the summer, and at times it seemed unlikely that a trade would happen.
At first, Los Verdiblancos desired a season-long loan deal with the possibility of extending the player’s stay to the conclusion of 2025–2026. United insisted on a permanent sale and rejected this.
It was revealed on Friday that United and Betis have come to a preliminary understanding over Antony’s transfer. However, it appears that a disagreement over the Brazilian’s substantial pay reduction upon leaving Old Trafford caused the negotiations to collapse.
Betis even confirmed their withdrawal of the bid in a statement.
But it appears that everyone returned to the negotiating table, and Ornstein claims that a comprehensive agreement has finally been reached.
“Real Betis and Manchester United have agreed on a €25 million package for the transfer of Brazilian winger Antony,” Ornstein disclosed. There will be a 50% sell-on clause in the agreement.
“Betis has been trying to get Antony back to Spain all summer long, and things have been slowly coming to an end. According to sources who spoke to The Athletic, the clubs agreed on a fee of €25 million (£21.6 million), plus an extra €3 million in possible bonuses.”
United will not be paying Antony any more, according to Ornstein.
Leave a Reply