Antony sends five-word message as Man Utd flop finally seals Old Trafford exit

Antony claims he is “very happy” to be finally sealing a move away from Manchester United.

The Red Devils have given their permission for the Brazilian winger to fly to Spain after striking a deal with Real Betis. The Andalusian side are set to sign Antony on loan until the end of the season.

Betis will pay a sizeable chunk of his wages as part of that agreement, while it is suggested that they will face penalties should they not play him enough.

And speaking to reporters in a Spanish airport, he gave a brief assessment into his mindset ahead of the move. “I’m so happy, I’m ready,” he said.

Antony’s move to Betis brings to an end a rotten spell at Old Trafford since an £85m move from Dutch giants Ajax. He has made 96 appearances since then but has scored just 12 goals.

The 24-year-old has found opportunities hard to come by this term with just three starts in all competitions. Antony may have to wait for next weekend for his debut for his temporary employers, with Betis set to take on Athletic Bilbao, with Saturday’s clash with Mallorca coming too soon.

Speaking last month, United boss Ruben Amorim vowed to help Antony to rediscover his best form. He said: "He needs more confidence. If you remember the Antony at Ajax, he lacks a little bit of confidence to go one-v-one, so he will improve.

“But he's working really hard, he's trying, he's playing more inside than outside, especially in this game (against Tottenham). You have to do that to work really hard and that will help him to be a better player."

Antony is unlikely to be the only one to bid farewell to Old Trafford over the final week of the January transfer window. Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford both face uncertain futures.

The Argentine looks set to leave amid interest from Napoli, while United’s Premier League rivals Chelsea have emerged as contenders for his signature. United are set to demand around £70m for Garnacho’s services.

Elsewhere, Rashford’s options are constantly narrowing. A move to AC Milan now appears unlikely after the Italian giants moved for Kyle Walker on loan from Manchester City. Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona have also been linked but neither side have made a tangible move.