Antony finally breaks silence on £85m transfer fee after Man Utd loanee receives Real Madrid boost

Antony has been enjoying his football at Real Betis and finally opened up on the £85 million transfer fee Manchester United paid for him in 2022.

Manchester United decided to send underperforming winger Antony on loan to Real Betis late in the January transfer window.

The Brazilian star had struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford following his £85 million move from Ajax in the summer of 2022.

However, Antony has made an impressive start at Betis, contributing to five goals in his first six appearances for the La Liga side.

In his latest match, the United loanee showcased both determination and skill, winning the ball back for Betis before setting up Isco inside the box, leading to the opener for Manuel Pellegrini’s team against Getafe on Sunday.

Towards the end of the game, Antony received a red card for a late challenge on Juan Iglesias in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Antony breaks silence on £85m United transfer

The United loanee has had success so far in Spain and says that he feels “secure” playing in his new environment.

He has also addressed the huge transfer fee United paid to Ajax for him three years ago and explains that it is not something he focuses on.

“The most important thing to regain my confidence was to reconnect with myself. I found myself here and that’s why I’m very happy at Betis. Every day I feel more secure,” Antony told Estadio Deportivo.

“I’m very happy here, but I don’t know what will happen in the future.

“I always say that I enjoy every day with the club, the city and everything that surrounds me, and I give my best for the team. It’s still too early to talk about my future.

“I know how much money they [Man United] paid for me. I worked and continue to work hard to perform at the highest level, but I don’t focus on transfer prices, neither mine nor any other player’s.”

Antony receives Real Madrid boost

Meanwhile, Antony would have been delighted this week to see his red card be rescinded, which means he will be available to play against Real Madrid on Saturday evening.

The Spanish giants would have been glad at the idea of not facing the in-form United loanee but the red card did seem unfair and Antony was told about La Liga’s decision to accept Betis’ appeal in training this week.

Madrid could move to the top of the table with a win and put extra pressure on Barcelona, who do not play until Sunday afternoon.

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However, Antony and Betis will also be hoping to pull off an upset. A victory could see them move into sixth-place in the table and continue their good form.

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