Manchester United loanee Antony, has attracted some major transfer interest ahead of the summer window due to his fruitful loan spell at Real Betis.
25-year-old Brazilian Antony has been on the books of Manchester United since his move to Old Trafford from Ajax in 2022, which came at a colossal fee of around £86 million.
Antony has endured a miserable few years at United, which was fortunately brought to a temporary end when Spanish side Real Betis provided him with a six-month loan deal.
When Ruben Amorim entered the frame at Old Trafford, Antony struggled to be trusted as a wingback nor as a number ten in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. This resulted in him finding football elsewhere.
His fruitful loan at Betis has seen him score six goals whilst providing four assists in only 19 games across all competitions.
Antony’s sixth goal came against Fiorentina on Thursday night as he scored a stunning right-footed volley into the top corner to give his side the edge in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.
Atletico Madrid register interest in Antony
Due to his fine vein of form over in Spain, Antony has started attracting interest ahead of this summer’s transfer window. The most recent side to show interest is reportedly Atletico Madrid, who have enquired about the Brazilian.
Spanish football outlet El Chiringuito TV have revealed that Atletico Madrid are expressing an interest in signing the winger. The report states that Diego Simeone’s side have “honed in on [the] Brazilian winger”.
It continues by saying “Atletico have already asked about him” and United would ask for “€40 million to €50 million” (£34-42.5m). Which would be a more affordable fee for a side like Atletico.
Antony’s current club, Betis, have also declared interest in the signing, but the fee demanded is potentially too much for the Seville-based club to afford, which is why they have been trying to agree another loan deal.
The move has felt somewhat similar to when Jadon Sancho re-joined Borussia Dortmund on loan last season. He performed excellently but the club couldn’t match the fee that United wanted for a permanent transfer.
However, the fresh interest from Atletico Madrid could hugely benefit the Reds, as they will be much more likely to put cash on the table for the 25-year-old winger.
What’s next for Antony?
With United being keen to sell the Brazilian, it looks like Antony’s time in Manchester will be coming to an end in the next few months, however, it is still up in the air as to where he will go.
To avoid incurring a negative Financial Fair Play hit from the sale, United would need to receive a fee of at least £32.4million, which is why they prefer the idea of a permanent exit instead of another loan move.
The reborn Brazilian is doing his parent club a great service, as his current form is sure to be increasing his value. Antony will be hoping to continue this by potentially reaching the Conference League final, where he’d be set to face fellow loanee Jadon Sancho for the trophy.
Although Betis may not be his home for next season, a move to Atletico could certainly prove beneficial, as Antony would be sure to fit into Simeone’s intense, disciplined style of play.
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