Real Betis reach decision on signing Antony permanently as Ratcliffe stuns Man Utd loanee

Manchester United are reported to have informed Real Betis of their price for the sale of Antony this summer – while the player has revealed just how close he came to signing for one of the Red Devils’ most fierce rivals.

The Brazilian star moved to Old Trafford from Ajax in a deal ultimately worth a staggering £86m (€104.1m, $108m) –  the summer 2023 signing proving the second-biggest in Manchester United history. But after convincing the Red Devils to shell out such a massive fee for the winger, his signing was one of the swords that Erik ten Hag fell on upon his dismissal by United earlier this season.

Having contributed to a meagre 17 goals in 96 appearances for the Red Devils, it came as no surprise when the club pushed to move him out in the winter window, where he eventually secured a loan move to Real Betis for the remainder of the season.

But since moving to Andalusia, Antony has enjoyed something of a career revival, scoring three times and adding two assists from six appearances so far for Los Verdiblancos.

Thriving under Manuel Pellegrini, Antony’s form in Spain so far has served as a timely reminder of the abilities the player does have in his locker after months of self-doubt and loathing from the terraces.

That fresh start has already led to claims that Antony could make his stay there permanent. But if Betis thought they were in line for a bargain, they will need to think twice after a report from Spain provided an update.

Antony’s move to Spain was done as a dry loan only, with Betis not securing either an option or an obligation to make it permanent. But having seen how his career has sparked back into life, Fichajes claims the LaLiga side are already ‘exploring options’ to secure his stay on a long-term arrangement.

That’s after United’s minority shareholder, Ratcliffe reportedly told Betis that it would take a fee of €50m (£41.3m, $52.4m) to make the move permanent at the season’s end.

And after learning the cost of making the move permanent, the report claims Betis have already made it clear they are likely to have to walk away from the discussion, with Ratcliffe’s demands ‘making the operation seem practically impossible’.

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Antony asking price is serious blow for Betis

To put into some context, Betis’ current transfer record stands at the €30m shelled out for another Brazilian winger, Denilson – that deal going through way back in 1998!

Since then, they have only spent more than €20m on two players – Borja Ingelsias from Espanyol in 2019 and Giovani Lo Celso from PSG the same year.

As a result, it will come as no surprise to hear that United’s demands over the player will force either Betis to walk away altogether – or to ask about the possibility of his signing again on a second season’s loan.

Having agreed to cover some 84% of the Brazilian’s £200,000 a week wages, Betis will hope a similar arrangement could yet twist United’s arm.

In the meantime, Antony has spoken of how he is enjoying his football again in Spain.

“I am very happy here, but I do not know what will happen in the future,” he told Kooora. “I always say that I enjoy every day, with the club, the city, everything, and I give my best for the team. It is still too early to talk about my future.”

Antony also said: “I think that to regain my confidence, the most important thing was to reconnect with myself. I found that here, and that’s why I’m very happy and more confident every day.”

The player has also revealed he came close to a move to Liverpool prior to signing for United.

“I was very close to signing for Liverpool, but you never know what would have happened. In the end, I went to Manchester and had great moments there, and that was a good choice as well.”

Antony is a huge admirer of the man he almost replaced, adding: “Salah is an amazing player and has been doing great things for a long time. He is a very great player. I don’t know if he is the best in the world currently, but he is definitely among the best and is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or.”

Latest Man Utd transfer news: All over for Hojlund; No.1 Champ star eyed

Meanwhile, United are reportedly ready to sell Rasmus Hojlund at a substantial loss, with the Italian media also dropping the bombshell revelation that the striker himself also wants out of Old Trafford.

The Denmark striker is currently on a 17-game streak without scoring a goal, stretching back to December 12.

Elsewhere, our transfer correspondent Ben Jacobs has dashed claims that United are considering a surprise return to Old Trafford for Paul Pogba.

The France midfielder is available on a free transfer at the moment, but the Red Devils are not keen on him returning to Old Trafford.

However, a new goalkeeper is seemingly on their radar amid claims Ruben Amorim is becoming increasingly frustrated with Andre Onana.

And according to reports, the Red Devils are keen on a man who is this season rated by FotMob as the best player in the Championship this season –  Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford.

Per the report, United are ready to offer the England Under-21 goalkeeper a five-year contract. TEAMtalk understands that Newcastle United are also keen on the Clarets star.

IN-FOCUS: How Antony’s career dropped off a cliff at Man Utd