Man Utd finally have solution for Antony problem after £82m disaster move

Manchester United are in talks to offload Antony to Real Betis in January and at the moment finalizing a deal.

Antony joined Man Utd from Ajax in the summer of 2022 for a hefty £82m, including add-ons, as a player well-known to then-manager Erik ten Hag.

However, the Brazilian has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, tallying just 12 goals and five assists in 93 appearances across all competitions.

Antony’s lack of productivity saw him fall out of favour under Ten Hag before the Dutchman’s dismissal, and he has continued to be used sparingly since Ruben Amorim took charge.

According to ABC Sevilla, Real Betis, managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, have taken “the first moves” toward securing Antony’s services.

The LaLiga club is reportedly interested in a six-month loan deal starting in January and has already “sounded out” United about the possibility.

While it remains unclear whether Man Utd would agree to a loan, the report hints that Betis could eventually pursue a permanent transfer, describing the deal as “initially proposed as a loan.”

Real Betis are reportedly prepared to cover a significant portion of Antony’s £200,000-a-week wages to facilitate the move.

To fund the deal and strengthen other areas of their squad, Betis are also exploring the sale of their 19-year-old winger, Assane Diao, who is valued at approximately €15m.

Last summer, United were open to selling Antony if a suitable offer was received, but none materialized.

With funds tight and a total squad rebuild underway, Antony is among the players the club is willing to part with to provide Amorim with the financial resources needed to reshape the team.

Antony’s agent, Junior Pedroso, recently confirmed to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano that “many” clubs have inquired about the player ahead of the January window.

“Yes, many clubs have approached us for Antony’s move in January,” said Pedroso. “These clubs wanted to understand the situation for Antony, so I can confirm that there’s concrete interest.”

However, Pedroso added that United have not explicitly told Antony or his camp that he is no longer part of their plans.

TEAMtalk suggests that, despite the lack of direct communication, Antony is indeed one of the players United are actively looking to move on.

In other news, Man Utd have reportedly received an inquiry from Leicester City, managed by Ruud van Nistelrooy, about a six-month loan for young defensive midfielder Toby Collyer.

Meanwhile, Andy Mitten, a trusted United reporter, has weighed in on Marcus Rashford’s struggles at Old Trafford, attributing the blame to the player rather than his various managers.

“Every previous manager has had issues with Marcus Rashford,” Mitten revealed. “I’ve spoken to them. They’ve told me in confidence going back years and years and years.”

Rashford has worked under five permanent managers during his United career—Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag, and now Amorim—plus interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

Mitten’s comments suggest that Rashford’s recurring issues are more reflective of his own challenges than the differing management styles he has encountered.