Antony’s Manchester United journey has officially ended with an emotional twist. The Brazilian winger has joined Real Betis on a permanent deal, shedding tears as he discusses his life in England. After months of confusion and isolation and a career resurgence in Spain, Antony is eager to make a new beginning.
A turbulent chapter ends
The deal, valued at about €25m (€22m guaranteed with €3m in add-ons) also includes a 50% sell-on which will be a financial hit to United, the club for whom they paid Ajax £81m two years ago. Antony surged back to form during that loan at Betis last season, scoring nine and assisting five times in 26 games, and leading Betis to the final of the Conference League.
At his unveiling in Seville, Antony spoke with rare honesty: “What happened in Manchester, only I know how difficult it was. I’m sorry. Training separately, but that’s part of life. I knew this moment would come. It’s in the past.” He also revealed he had lived alone in a hotel for over 40 days after Man United froze him out of the squad, describing it as one of the toughest stretches of his career.
❤️🩹👋🏾 Antony: “What happened in Manchester, only I know how difficult it was. I'm sorry”.
“Training separately, but that's part of life. I knew this moment would come. It's in the past”. pic.twitter.com/3vJPuwOxIm
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 2, 2025
Betis provides new hope
And now contracted until 2030, Antony sees Betis as the perfect place to hit reset. Manager Manuel Pellegrini kept it simple during the loan period, and that seemed to help him to regain his confidence and efficiency. Fans embraced him, and Antony even called Seville “more beautiful than Manchester.” He will make his permanent debut after the international break, likely against Levante on 14 September.
Author’s view
Antony’s exit highlights one of United’s costliest mistakes, yet his tearful confession shows resilience rather than defeat. In Seville, he has found belief and belonging, and his story proves that redemption sometimes lies far from the spotlight.