Real Betis will do everything in their power to sign Antony permanently this summer. He is free to leave the club, with the preference for a full sale rather than another loan.placeholder image
Real Betis will do everything in their power to sign Antony permanently this summer. He is free to leave the club, with the preference for a full sale rather than another loan. | Getty Images
Manchester United winger Antony spent the second half of last season on loan at Real Betis in La Liga.
Manchester United have had a busy start to the summer transfer window, with Ruben Amorim keen to spend big and rebuild his squad ahead of next season. They have already signed Matheus Cunha from Wolves, and are hoping to add more players, especially in attack.
However, to do so, Amorim will need to see some players leave, as he needs a boost to his transfer budget, especially considering Man United’s precarious position with regards to PSR.
Antony is one of the United players likely to leave this summer after he spend the second half of last season on loan at Real Betis. His loan spell was successful and it has been reported that Betis want to sign him permanently, but there are doubts over whether they can afford it.
Real Betis ‘very close’ to signing Leeds United star
Real Betis aren’t a huge La Liga giant, meaning that they don’t have a load of transfer budget that they can splash out on the likes of Antony, who significantly improved their form when he was on loan there last season.
The Brazilian winger had somewhat of a resurgence when he moved to Spain, making 26 appearances for Real Betis. He scored nine goals and provided five assists, helping them to the Europa Conference League final too, where they lost to Chelsea.
It has been made clear that Betis wants to sign the winger, but whether they can afford the deal remains unclear. However, their transfer business suggests they may be doing what they can to make a deal possible. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Betis are ‘very close’ to signing Leeds United defender Junior Firpo on a free transfer, ensuring they can improve their defence without spending money.
Firpo has spent the last four years at Leeds, making almost 120 appearances. He recently helped Daniel Farke’s side to Championship promotion, as the Yorkshire-based side will be back in the Premier League next season. However, Firpo looks to be moving to Betis, where he spent several years of his career before moving to Barcelona in 2019.
Why the Junior Firpo deal paves the way for Antony’s exit
The big takeaway from the Firpo deal, is that as he didn’t cost anything, it may be that Betis are trying to improve on the cheap, so that they can afford Antony. The deal may be a signal that they plan to keep some funds available for any deal for the Man United winger, and that may be their transfer strategy this summer...don’t spend much on players, so that they can afford to bring their talisman back on a permanent deal.
If so, it is good news for United, who are keen to sell Antony, and use the funds elsewhere. He is estimated to be worth around £30m-£40m, which is more than £40m-£50m less than United paid for him under Erik Ten Hag in August 2022.
There has been reported interest from fellow La Liga sides in Antony, with Atletico Madrid one of the names linked. However, considering the success that the winger had with Betis, it is likely that he would be happy to return there, and the Spanish club are clearly very keen to bring him back.
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