Manchester United set to lose £60m on Antony as he closes in on deadline day exit

Antony has finally secured himself an escape route of Old Trafford. Luckily for the Brazilian, it is a route takes him to familiar surroundings. Antony is on his way back to BetisGetty Antony will return to Real Betis, albeit on a permanent basis. The Spanish outfit has struck a £21.6million deal with Manchester United to secure the winger. It is a £19m fixed fee plus £2.6m in bonuses, while the Red Devils retain a 50 per cent sell-on clause. Antony also won’t receive a payoff as part of the deal. News of Antony’s imminent transfer represents a major U-turn given the deal looked dead in the water as recently as last Friday. Although United and Betis had agreed on a £25m fee, the Spanish side pulled the plug due to being unable to match Antony’s wage demands. “There is no agreement and we have withdrawn the transfer offer because Real Betis can’t afford the transfer fee and the amounts that Manchester United must [instead] pay the player before the transfer,” Betis told talkSPORT in a statement. How much did Antony cost United? The eight-figure fee for Antony marks a massive financial loss for United given they forked out an eye-whopping £81.3m to sign him from Ajax in August 2022. He struggled to live up to the hefty price tag, registering just 17 goal contributions from 96 appearances across all competitions. Antony was given a brief respite from his Old Trafford nightmare last January when he joined Betis on loan. The 25-year-old never quite recaptured the form he showed at AjaxGetty At the Andalusian outfit, Antony showed glimpses of the form that compelled United to fork out over £80m for his services as he scored nine goals and contributed five assists from 26 appearances. He also started for Betis in their Conference League final defeat to Chelsea and was visibly emotional at full-time. Who else have Manchester United sold this window? The sale of Antony marks yet another exit of a player from United’s infamous bomb squad. Ahead of the 2025/26 season, Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim exiled the likes of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho in a bid to cull his squad and generate funds. The quintet were all forced to train away from United’s first team and did not tag along on their pre-season tour to America. Rashford was the first to secure a move this summer and joined Barcelona on a season-long loan while Garnacho completed a £40m switch to Chelsea on Saturday. Amorim has overseen a big turnover in terms of players this windowGetty Although Rasmus Hojlund was not initially part of the group, his future came under a cloud of uncertainty upon the £74m arrival of Benjamin Sesko. But the Dane is on the brink of a temporary exit as he is poised to join Serie A champions Napoli, where he would re-unite with former Red Devils teammate Scott McTominay. How have Manchester United started the season? Despite United’s heavy player turnover, the results haven’t quite arrived. An opening round defeat to Arsenal was followed by a 1-1 draw against Fulham in which Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty. But the mood fell flat following a humiliating penalty shootout exit in the Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town. Luckily for Amorim and his troops, they got off the mark for the season on Saturday as Fernandes rescued the side with a 97th-minute penalty to beat Burnley 3-2.

 0  4
Manchester United set to lose £60m on Antony as he closes in on deadline day exit

Antony has finally secured himself an escape route of Old Trafford.

Luckily for the Brazilian, it is a route takes him to familiar surroundings.

Antony is on his way back to Betis
Getty

Antony will return to Real Betis, albeit on a permanent basis.

The Spanish outfit has struck a £21.6million deal with Manchester United to secure the winger.

It is a £19m fixed fee plus £2.6m in bonuses, while the Red Devils retain a 50 per cent sell-on clause.

Antony also won’t receive a payoff as part of the deal.

News of Antony’s imminent transfer represents a major U-turn given the deal looked dead in the water as recently as last Friday.

Although United and Betis had agreed on a £25m fee, the Spanish side pulled the plug due to being unable to match Antony’s wage demands.

“There is no agreement and we have withdrawn the transfer offer because Real Betis can’t afford the transfer fee and the amounts that Manchester United must [instead] pay the player before the transfer,” Betis told talkSPORT in a statement.

How much did Antony cost United?

The eight-figure fee for Antony marks a massive financial loss for United given they forked out an eye-whopping £81.3m to sign him from Ajax in August 2022.

He struggled to live up to the hefty price tag, registering just 17 goal contributions from 96 appearances across all competitions.

Antony was given a brief respite from his Old Trafford nightmare last January when he joined Betis on loan.

The 25-year-old never quite recaptured the form he showed at Ajax
Getty

At the Andalusian outfit, Antony showed glimpses of the form that compelled United to fork out over £80m for his services as he scored nine goals and contributed five assists from 26 appearances.

He also started for Betis in their Conference League final defeat to Chelsea and was visibly emotional at full-time.

Who else have Manchester United sold this window?

The sale of Antony marks yet another exit of a player from United’s infamous bomb squad.

Ahead of the 2025/26 season, Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim exiled the likes of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho in a bid to cull his squad and generate funds.

The quintet were all forced to train away from United’s first team and did not tag along on their pre-season tour to America.

Rashford was the first to secure a move this summer and joined Barcelona on a season-long loan while Garnacho completed a £40m switch to Chelsea on Saturday.

Amorim has overseen a big turnover in terms of players this window
Getty

Although Rasmus Hojlund was not initially part of the group, his future came under a cloud of uncertainty upon the £74m arrival of Benjamin Sesko.

But the Dane is on the brink of a temporary exit as he is poised to join Serie A champions Napoli, where he would re-unite with former Red Devils teammate Scott McTominay.

How have Manchester United started the season?

Despite United’s heavy player turnover, the results haven’t quite arrived.

An opening round defeat to Arsenal was followed by a 1-1 draw against Fulham in which Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty.

But the mood fell flat following a humiliating penalty shootout exit in the Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town.

Luckily for Amorim and his troops, they got off the mark for the season on Saturday as Fernandes rescued the side with a 97th-minute penalty to beat Burnley 3-2.

Musventurenal MUSVENTURENAL IS ALL ABOUT MUSIC, ADVENTURE & ARSENAL ONLY.