Manchester United may have just been hit with a serious blow to their transfer budget for this summer window.
Manchester United are looking to bring in a whole host of new players in this summer’s transfer window, and Matheus Cunha is already through the door.
Ruben Amorim has made no secret of this overhaul, with several players being transfer listed to make room for new talent at Old Trafford.
One of those players on the chopping block is Brazilian winger Antony, who has experienced major struggles during his time with the club.
That being said, there are still clubs who want him, with his loan move to Spanish side Real Betis proving he still has the talent to be a really good player on his day.
United dealt potential blow to transfer budget
Over the recent days and weeks, it has been reported that Betis have become quite attached to the winger, and why wouldn’t they be?
During his short-spell there, Antony became a fan-favourite, scoring nine goals and getting five assists to propel the side into the Europa Conference League final, as well as gaining them access to the Europa League next season.
It will come as some surprise to now hear that Betis’ manager Manuel Pellegrini has reportedly stated that he wants another player in Antony’s position ‘no matter what’, meaning that there could be no room for the 25-year-old next season, with negotiations currently stalled between the two clubs since United are not open to another loan.
That player in question is young-Chilean Dario Osorio, who has had a stellar season at Danish club FC Midtjylland and has attracted global interest due to his talent and youth, as he’s just 21-years-old. He is said to be a ‘priority’ signing at Betis.
This development could be a huge blow to United’s transfer budget, as the sale of Antony, estimated at around £35 million, is crucial if the club are able to afford more star-talent this season.
There’s still hope of Antony sale
Of course, it is the nature of the transfer window that these things can change and United need to be prepared to look elsewhere to make their money.
Betis isn’t Antony’s only option, another interested party are Bayer Leverkusen. They have just had a serious cash influx through their record-breaking sale of Florian Wirtz to Liverpool, and have ex-United boss Erik ten Hag in charge.
Ten Hag infamously brought the Brazilian to United back in 2022 for a fee of just over £80 million, prior to that he bought Antony to Ajax, where the pair formed a relationship. Could we possibly see the two of them reunite in yet another European league?
Regardless, fans will be hoping that United can get rid of the winger as soon as possible, allowing the club to generate enough money to bring another player to add to their squad.
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