Manchester United spent nearly 100 million euros to bring Antony from Ajax to Old Trafford at the behest of Erik ten Hag, who coached the Brazilian forward in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Despite high expectations and no shortage of individual skill, Antony failed to make an impact at Manchester United since joining in 2022 and was phased entirely out of the starting lineup, even by Ten Hag, who had given his signing every chance to succeed.
Now, Antony is out, as Manchester United have a new manager in Ruben Amorim and were able to find a landing spot for the 24-year-old, jettisoning him to LaLiga side Real Betis.
According to Fabrizio Romano, all parties involved have reached a verbal agreement to a loan deal that does not contain a buy option, which means Antony will be back at Manchester United in June.
At that point, he will either leave Man United permanently, leave on loan again, or return to Old Trafford if he proves himself enough with Betis. It all depends on how well he performs there.
Let’s take a closer look at how Antony will fit his new club and what the future could hold for the former Ajax standout.
Best position in Real Betis starting lineup
Real Betis have used a mix of formations under veteran manager Manuel Pellegrini this season, but they mostly line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is one of the most common formations around world football and was actually used a lot by Erik ten Hag at both Ajax and Manchester United.
That’s good for Antony, as he can come in with a level of familiarity. Real Betis just sold one of their key players and one of the best up-and-coming right wingers in the world, Assane Diao, to Serie A side Como for 12 million euros.
This transfer leaves a vacancy ripe for Antony to take on the right wing, as the current starter, Pablo Fornals, hasn’t done much to establish himself as a credible starting option in 12 starts this season. He has scored just one goal with no assists.
Fornals was a decent rotational player for West Ham in his prime, but the Spaniard is now 28 and a better fit inside as a playmaker than on the outside as a winger. And Real Betis already have two of the best playmakers in Europe in Isco and a resurgent Giovani Lo Celso.
So Antony can come right in and start on the right wing, which is the only position he’s known as a regular starter for both Ajax and Manchester United. Surrounding him, he will have Lo Celso and Isco as possible playmakers, Barcelona product Abde as the winger across from him, and Barcelona loanee Vitor Roque will be a well-rounded striker – and another Brazilian national – leading the line.
How Antony’s playing style will fit Real Betis
Antony was a frustrating player for Manchester United because he struggled to get on the scoresheet and spent too much time dancing with the ball at his feet instead of going for direct plays that improved the team’s scoring chances.
However, he was a dazzling player for Ajax because of his explosiveness and skill on the ball. He could hold possession, progress play, and put in a high volume of crosses at a less competitive level of football.
LaLiga is one of the top leagues in football and above the Eredivisie, but it’s not as competitive as the Premier League due to having less financial involvement. But it is still competitive, and other Manchester United cast-offs like Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial can attest to the league’s dfficulty.
The Spanish top flight is very physical with a lot of teams playing in low blocks, but it isn’t as fast and is more forgiving to wingers who are questionable decision-makers. There’s less pressure to perform every week at an elite level than there was at Manchester United, which bodes well for a “confidence” player like Antony.
Overall, he could like LaLiga. He’ll have more space to carry the ball through midfield into the final third, more time on the ball against low blocks, and more of a license to take players on and perform skill moves in LaLiga, which rewards expression.
And in general, Real Betis appreciate creative players. Isco, Abde, Lo Celso, and, in his prime, Nabil Fekir are all players who love performing tricks and holding the ball.
What Manchester United can expect from Antony in 2025
Manchester United just need Antony to show that he can still beat defenders. They will want him to get regular playing time at Real Betis, prove to his new team that he is willing put in the hard work on defense, and take this loan as an opportunity to work harder and right his wrongs at Old Trafford.
If Antony plays at a high level and is one of the best wingers in LaLiga over the next six months, he could earn another chance at Manchester United under Amorim.
That’s less likely with Man United moving to a 3-5-2 system under the Portuguese manager, so Antony is probably playing to audition for teams around the Europa League level, like Betis.
Now, Betis themselves are not likely to keep Antony. They could if the price is right, he wants to be there, and he performs well for them, but those are all big “ifs”. Plus, Betis don’t have a ton of money to spend, and with Antony standing as a 95 million euro investment, Manchester United will likely want at least half that fee back, even as they know they will never be able to recoup all that money.
