- Antony endured a torrid two-and-a-half years at Man United after joining in 2022
- The winger moved on loan to Real Betis in January and has shone so far in Spain
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Man United flop Antony is said to have expressed his desire to stay at Real Betis beyond the summer.
Antony, 25, has been reinvigorated since joining Betis on loan from United in January, scoring three goals and adding two assists in just seven games.
The winger’s temporary move to Spain came after he badly struggled at Old Trafford following his £85million move from Ajax in the summer of 2022, with the Brazilian finding himself on the periphery under both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.
In fact, Antony scored just 12 goals and added five assists in 96 games for the Red Devils despite being the club’s second most expensive signing of all-time.
His performances in LaLiga have driven Betis towards European qualification – which included a stunning 2-1 win against Real Madrid at the weekend – while they are also in the last-16 of the UEFA Conference League.
And, according to Betis CEO Ramon Alarcon, Antony has expressed a desire to stay at the club for the long-term.
Man United flop Antony has expressed his desire to stay at Real Betis beyond the summer
Betis CEO Ramon Alarcon told the media that Antony said he ‘wanted to stay another year’
Antony has enjoyed a stunning start to his loan spell after struggling at Manchester United
Betis do not have an option to buy Antony within the loan deal, although they are covering 84 per cent of his salary, meaning any move could potentially be within financial reach.
‘The other day Antony told me that he wanted to stay another year,’ Alarcon told Canal Sur’s El Pelotazo show.
‘The player is very comfortable here and was surprised by the facilities we gave him to settle in the city as soon as he arrived.’
Antony’s form has been so impressive that he has been tipped to return to the Brazil squad, with the 25-year-old’s last international appearances coming two years ago in March 2023.
Antony represented Brazil at the 2022 World Cup and has won 16 caps for the Selecao, but his form at United saw him fall down the international pecking order.
A permanent move to secure regular football will be particularly pertinent for the winger given the 2026 World Cup takes place at the end of next season.
Whatever happens, Antony is widely expected to leave United come the summer and his performances in Spain have put him in the shop window.
His time at Old Trafford had initially started brightly in 2022 as he scored three goals in his first three league games after linking up with his former Ajax boss Ten Hag.
Antony has scored three goals and added two assists in just seven games for the Spanish side
Antony played just 135 minutes in the Premier League for United in the first half of the season
However, his below par performances saw him fall out of favour and he featured just eight times in the Premier League during the first half of the 2024-25 season, playing just 135 minutes of action in total.
The former Sao Paulo star scored just five top flight goals for the Red Devils, although he did win both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during his time at the club.
United are back in action on Thursday when they travel to Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash.
Meanwhile, Betis take on Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes in the Conference League.
