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

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

According to reports, Manchester United told Real Betis their asking price for Antony this summer.

The player has also disclosed how close he was to joining one of the Red Devils’ most bitter rivals.

The Brazilian player was the second-biggest acquisition in Manchester United history when he went from Ajax to Old Trafford in a deal that was ultimately cost an incredible £86 million (€104.1 million, $108 million).

However, Erik ten Hag’s expulsion by United earlier this season was one of the blows he took after persuading the Red Devils to pay such a hefty sum for the winger.

It was not surprising given that he only helped the Red Devils score 17 goals in 96 games.

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’.

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.”