Manchester United remain determined to find a buyer for Antony and will look to use his upturn in form during a loan spell with Real Betis to their advantage as they go in search of getting him off the Old Trafford wage bill when the transfer window reopens in the summer, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim strengthened the squad he inherited from predecessor Erik ten Hag ahead of the winter deadline last week, with Patrick Dorgu being the most expensive acquisition as the Danish left-back completed a £30million switch from Serie A strugglers Lecce.
But the Portuguese tactician was not afraid to offload big-names as well, with Marcus Rashford sealing an initial loan move to Aston Villa which includes an option to become permanent for £40million, and Antony was also among those to embark on a fresh challenge away from Manchester United at the season's midway point.
Red Devils Not Poised to Make Antony U-Turn
Plans remain in place to sell winger when transfer window reopens
Antony during a pre-match warm-up at Real Betis
Manchester United remain eager to sanction the permanent exit of Antony in the summer despite showing promise in the early stages of his loan spell with Real Betis, according to GMS sources, and there are no plans for him to be handed a route back into Amorim's plans ahead of next season.
The winger, who joined the Red Devils in a deal worth £86million when then-boss Ten Hag raided former employers Ajax in September 2022, was given the green-light to head to Spain after struggling to secure regular game time amid competition from the likes of Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho for a starting berth.
GMS sources have been informed that influential figures at Manchester United are delighted that Antony has been shining in his new surroundings, which continued when finding the back of the net in Real Betis' UEFA Conference League win over Gent on Thursday, but they are still keen to cash in when the transfer window reopens.
Antony's statistics for Real Betis vs Gent
Although the 24-year-old headed to the Benito Villamarin Stadium last month in an attempt to reignite his career, the La Liga outfit do not have an option or obligation to keep him beyond the remainder of the campaign after a straight loan deal which included covering at least 84 per cent of his salary was agreed.
Manchester United are looking to benefit from Antony being in-form as there is an awareness that his performances in a Real Betis shirt will result in maintaining his value, GMS sources have learned, while it will also give them a better chance of being able to find a side willing to make a bid.
Amorim Adamant Antony Has No Route Back
Tactician certain Brazilian will not thrive in his preferred system
Antony of Real Betis during a La Liga match for Real Betis
GMS sources have been told that Amorim is adamant Antony does not fit into his preferred style of play or have the characteristics to excel in his tactical vision, leading to the former Sporting head coach being eager to reinvest in his attack from elsewhere instead of offering a chance to salvage his Manchester United career.
The Brazilian is on a contract which allows him to pocket £150,000-per-week, and there is determination behind the scenes to offload him on a permanent basis instead of continuing to pay a significant sum every seven days when he does not feature at the forefront of the Red Devils' plans for the forthcoming campaigns.
Real Betis have already declared an interest in keeping Antony beyond the initial loan agreement after he has enjoyed a new lease of life since joining, GMS sources understand, but he is keen to see what other opportunities arise instead of rushing into committing his future to the La Liga side as he wants to compete for regular silverware at the highest level.
Ruben Amorim Related
'Huge' Update as 'Astonishing' Star Wants to Join Man Utd Because of Amorim
The 17-year-old is reportedly very keen on a summer move to Man United.
Manchester United would deem it a somewhat satisfactory ending to his Old Trafford career if they can recoup a sizeable fee for his services in the summer, and they could use those funds to bring in a new striker as GMS sources recently revealed plans are in place to make a bid for Victor Osimhen, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli.
Sign up toThe GIVEMESPORT Reportto get exclusive daily updates from Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert sent straight to your inbox
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 14/02/2025