Antony has issued an ultimatum to Manchester United, demanding to be released to return to Real Betis.
Betis hopes to have Antony again this season, but to retain him after his loan spell expired, a series of typically hard-to-occur circumstances must unfold this summer—particularly that Antony can resist pressure from a powerhouse like Manchester
United and insist on returning to the club where he spent six months.
However, three months on, Betis has long known this matter would not be resolved in the early stages of the summer transfer window, and their established roadmap is still proceeding as planned, thanks entirely to Antony’s unwavering desire to wear the green-and-white jersey again. Manchester United’s pressure tactics—such as excluding him from the first team in pre-season or threatening to keep him on the sidelines—have not shaken his resolve. He has rejected all transfer options offered, even though some bids neared United’s asking price of around €40 million set at Old Trafford.
With less than two weeks until the transfer window closes, the player has once again closed off all possible paths between himself and United, leaving the club with only one choice: let him return to Betis. He has made it clear he only wants to join Betis and is willing to wait until the window’s final day to wear the No. 7 jersey specifically reserved for him by the club, which is hoping the deal will eventually go through.
This recent communication from the player’s agent is the latest in a series of moves this summer, significantly limiting United’s maneuvering space and forcing them to negotiate based on Betis’ proposals on the table. Specifically, these are: either accept another loan with Betis covering a higher share of his salary, or sell 50% ownership of the player for around €20 million, making him co-owned by both clubs with competitive control resting with Betis.
United’s other option is to keep trying to extract on-pitch value from Antony. Yet, at least for now, Amorim did not even include him in the matchday squad for the Premier League opener against Arsenal (a defeat). Thus, everything hinges on Old Trafford’s final decision, but the tide has clearly turned in Betis’ favor.
Notably, Antony’s stance has sparked hostility among English fans, particularly evident on social media in recent days. As a result, United’s “desperate path” of hoping to retain him and make him effective appears unsustainable.
