Real Betis’ pursuit of Brazilian star Antony heats up as new negotiations come to fruition, and Manchester United are looking to copy a previous transfer strategy.
Antony has been named as one of Ruben Amorim’s many transfer-listed stars this summer window, as the Brazilian aims to leave Manchester United this August.
Amorim sees the 25-year-old as surplus to requirements for the Reds, with new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo shifting Antony down the pecking order.
Antony went on loan to Real Betis in the January transfer window, in which he performed remarkably well and became a fan favourite for the Seville club.
Now, Antony and Real Betis have been in a “crazy” transfer saga this summer window, as the Spanish side intends to ‘pressure’ United into a late deal.
The Reds aim to negotiate a similar deal to Anthony Elanga’s departure, when he left for Nottingham Forest in 2023.
Real Betis ‘dragging’ out Antony deal
With less than two weeks left of the transfer window, United are without a major player sale in 2025, despite creating a five-player exiled pack at the beginning of the summer.
Marcus Rashford is the only significant departure so far, as his loan to Barcelona helped raise sufficient funds for United’s three front-line replacements.
The club has raised around £21 million from clauses in the sales of former players, such as Elanga, allowing this type of investment to take place.
All of this plays in favour of Real Betis, who know the Reds must raise more funds in order to bring in a goalkeeper and central midfielder, two priority targets for Amorim’s United.
Now, Betis are ‘optimistic’ about a deal with similar contingencies to departures such as Elanga and Alvaro Carreas, which would allow United to benefit from Antony’s exit in future years, as per El DesMarque.
An Elanga-type deal would benefit both clubs
As stated previously by sporting director Fajardo, Real Betis is in no rush to secure the signing of Antony and will pursue other prospects if a deal is not financially viable for the Spanish club.
A deal with a sell-on clause would lower the overall initial fee for the player, which could entice Betis, who intend to pay within the constraints of their budget.
United used this strategy when selling Elanga to Nottingham Forest and Maxi Oyedele to Legia Warsaw, and have benefited from their sell-on clauses this summer.
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With Antony seeking an exit from Manchester, the club must decide whether to submit to Betis’ terms or hold out for a more suitable offer, as the Brazilian has two years left on his contract.
In whatever way Antony leaves the club, United must not be pressured into a less valuable deal than expected, despite pressure from PSR regulations and the transfer window closing soon.
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