David Ornstein: Real Betis agree €25m Antony deal with Manchester United on permanent!
Real Betis and Manchester United have agreed a €25m package for the transfer of Brazilian winger Antony. The deal will include a 50% sell-on clause.
The Athletic reported on Friday that United had agreed a fee in principle with Betis for Antony to return to the club at which he spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign, but the deal was in the balance amid tension over how they settle the proposed multi-million pound salary reduction Antony would face by leaving Old Trafford.
United will now make no further payment to the player.
After falling out of favour at Old Trafford, Antony impressed on loan at Betis, recording nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances. He helped Manuel Pellegrini’s side to reach the Conference League final, where they were beaten 4-1 by Chelsea.
Antony signed for United in August 2023 when Erik ten Hag was head coach at Old Trafford, in a deal worth a guaranteed €95 million (￡81.3m at the time), plus a potential €5m (￡4.2m) in add-ons.
Betis have sought to bring Antory back to Spain all summer long and matters have been inching towards a conclusion, with sources indicating to The Athletic the clubs agreed a fee of €25m (£21.6m), with an additional €3m in potential bonuses. The deal includes a sell-on clause for United, which would see them receive 50 per cent of the profit Betis make on a future transter.
Antony has two years remaining of his tom-a-year contract at United, and the winger is seeking for the clubs to find a way to ensure he secures the €4m shortfall he will encounter upon taking a wage cut with the La Liga side.
Betis sources claimed the club are not prepared to go higher with their offer, and their agreement would be considered withdrawn and no longer valid unless this is resolved between United and the player. United were nformed by the Spanish club their offer should be considered withdrawn but hope that Betis are adopting a bargaining position. United's hope was that the two clubs could meet in the middle.
The Athletic reported on the TransferDealsheet on August 26 that United were expected to hold firm on only considering a permanent sale rather than another loan for Antony, who has not featured in United's start to the 2025-26 season, amid a recent renewed push by Betis.
In May, Antony gave an emotional interview to TNT Sports Brazil in which he said he had gone days without eating at United after falling out of love with the game. The Brazil international added he "needed to find (himself)" in his spell with Betis, and that he "wasn't happy" and "didn't feel that desire to play football" in recent years.
The Brazil international's most productive season in England was his first, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in all competitions in 2022-23.
After a month out of the squad at the start of 2023-24, Antomy did not regain a regular position in Ten Hag's line-ups. He ended the campaign with three goals and two assists from 38 appearances, of which 21 were as a starter.