New Antony cash dispute emerges despite £20m-plus breakthrough between Man United and Betis
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Credit: Imago
Oliver Walton
Sat 30 August 2025 8:30, UK
Antony’s move back to Real Betis will not be straightforward due to the finances involved, despite Man United agreeing a fee for his services with the La Liga side.
Antony was reborn at Real Betis during his loan spell with the Seville-based club last season, and a return has been on the cards all summer with Ruben Amorim shunning him on his return to Old Trafford.
The Brazil winger has been a part of Man United‘s ‘bomb-squad’ during the transfer window, joining the likes of Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia in training away from the first-team as they each search for a move away.
Real Betis have previously explored another move for Antony, and the two clubs are believed to have been in constant communication about a deal, yet a move has seemed uncertain due to the La Liga side refusing to shift from their budget and meet United’s transfer demands [BBC Sport].
Man United have now accepted a bid from Real Betis for Antony with only personal terms left to be agreed, but they could still be set to provide a real stumbling block after new developments emerged around the move.
Credit: Imago
The Athletic (29 August) have reported that Antony is is seeking for United and Betis to find a way to ensure he receives the €4million (£3.4m) loss in wages that he will encounter by joining the La Liga side on a permanent deal.
The 25-year-old has two years left on a contract that sees him earn £6m (€6.93m) per year at Old Trafford, and may need to waive his money in order to get a deal over the line.
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Betis do not want to offer higher wages than what has been agreed, while they also believe that it the onus is on the Red Devils to come to an arrangement with Antony for the deal to proceed while they continue to explore alternative options.
United, meanwhile, are hoping that Betis are adopting a bargaining position, and that the three parties can meet in the middle to allow the deal to proceed before the end of the transfer window.
The report also states that the deal is worth an initial €25m (£21.6m) and will also include a 50 per cent sell on clause for United.
Football Insider verdict
Antony was a completely different player at Betis to the one that struggled for form at Old Trafford, with a number of great goals scored as his positive impact led the club from 12th to sixth by the end of the campaign, as well as the Conference League final against Chelsea.
He was labelled a “very special player” by Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini during his spell at the club, and it has always seemed like he had his heart set on a return, so now must do all he can to get it done.
AppearancesGoalsAssists2695Antony’s stats on loan at Betis
Antony should take inspiration from other players who have waived fees to get deals over the line this summer, with Benjamin Sesko giving up part of his salary to join Man United, while Viktor Gyokeres also gave up €2m (£1.7m) that was initially part of his salary package [Record] so that Arsenal were able to sign him.
It’s not as if he should just forget about the money completely, as he is rightly owed it and has the power to demand as such, but he should at least approach it with the right attitude and an open mind to accept a lower pay-off from United just to make sure he can move to Betis, as it is clearly what he wants.