‘Why are we doing this?’ – Man Utd fans stunned as Antony closes in on Real Betis loan transfer with special clauses
ANTONY is moving closer to a Manchester United exit this month, according to reports.
After a bright start at the club, Antony has struggled to recapture his best form since his blockbuster £86million transfer from Ajax in 2022.
The winger’s poor form saw him fall out of favour under Erik ten Hag last season.
That trend continued this season before Ten Hag was replaced by Ruben Amorim, though he has still failed to make a real impression.
But now the 24-year-old looks like he could finally be nearing an escape from his Theatre of Dreams nightmare, summarised by his horror miss against Southampton on Thursday.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Antony is close to sealing a move to go on loan to Real Betis until the end of the season, with the final details being discussed after the player gave the deal the green light.
It is understood there is NO option to buy in the deal.
Furthermore, the Red Devils will also cover part of his wages.
However, this was not a clause fans were happy to see given the desperate need to sell before new recruits can come in as part of the next rebuild project being undertaken by Amorim.
Taking to social media, one fan said: “‘Man United will also cover part of the salary’. They are so desperate for him to leave.”
A second said: “Depleting our squad and not signing replacements.”
Another said: “We better be getting a replacement because I don’t understand why we are doing a deal like this. No option to buy and also paying part of his salary while he plays for another club.”
A fourth added: “These loan deals with no buy option are absolutely useless.”
Many other fans were also hopeful that Antony could find some form while at the Spanish club.
His wages are understood to stand at £200,000 a week, making him the club’s fifth best-paid player.
Antony’s contract expires in 2027 and has the option for an additional year.
He has scored just 12 times and added five assists across 95 games for the Red Devils.
In a similar deal, United are also covering some of the wages of Jadon Sancho while he is on loan at Chelsea, although a clause in the deal will see the Blues activate a £25m buy option if they finish above 14th.
United are reported to be covering at least £100,000 of Sancho’s total wage bill, though the amount they will cover for in Antony’s case is not yet clear.
Amid the rumours, Antony was named on the bench for Man Utd’s clash with Brighton.
Man Utd squad transfer verdict
SunSport gives its verdict on what Man Utd stars should stay or go in the first phase of Ruben Amorim's squad rebuild:
Andre Onana – Stay
Despite being guilty of some erratic performances, Andre Onana remains a world-class goalkeeper and United would struggle to find better in the market.
The defence has begun to look more solid in recent weeks now Amorim has had time to coach the structure into the team, and hopefully, that will be converted into clean sheets going forward.
Noussair Mazraoui – Stay
The best signing from the summer window so far, Noussair Mazraoui has proven to be everything Man Utd needed and more.
Versatile, reliable and passionate no matter whether he plays at wing-back or centre-back, it is a no-brainer to keep the Moroccan.
Leny Yoro – Stay
After a pre-season injury, Leny Yoro has taken some time to bed in but he has shown some superb moments in a Man Utd shirt already like his lung-busting run to block a Liverpool shot in the 2-2 draw at Anfield earlier this month.
At the age of 19 he will only get better and while too much expectation should not be thrust on him just yet, the early signs suggest he could be a mainstay in defence for years to come.
Harry Maguire – Go
The last time we did this list Harry Maguire was one of our main defensive options to be sold, but since Amorim has come with the back three the England international has barely put a foot wrong.
The issue with Maguire is that while he is perfectly suited to a back three, he will be 32 in the summer and has just one year left on his contract, so if a serious offer comes in he should regrettably be sold.
Matthijs de Ligt – Stay
Matthijs de Ligt has been very hit or miss since arriving in the summer. Capable of heroic last-ditch tackles like he did at Arsenal and also capable of some very silly passages of play like his handball against Liverpool.
In many ways, the Dutchman seems like a younger version of Maguire and given some more time to bed in he should improve even more.
Lisandro Martinez – Stay
Has really started to grow into the Amorim system in recent games after a very sticky patch of form.
He is one of the team’s best progressive passers in the build-up phase and has the dogged mentality this team will need to improve and claw its way up the table.
Luke Shaw – Go
It’s been said that one of the best abilities is availability, and that rings incredibly true for Luke Shaw.
World class on his day and is clearly still capable of finding those levels, as seen at less than full fitness with England at the Euros. But he is simply not available often enough to warrant keeping.
Tyrell Malacia – Go
Tyrell Malacia is still recovering his match sharpness from his two-year injury layoff, so it is a bit harsh to make a verdict on him so soon.
The current concern is that United will need to aggressively recruit specialist left wing-backs in the summer, and Malacia so far has not looked totally comfortable playing there.
Manuel Ugarte – Stay
Question marks were being raised about him after his first few games. But under Amorim, Manuel Ugarte has once again become the lynchpin of his midfield.
He knows the system inside out and is one of the Premier League’s most proficient ball winners. It would be madness to consider his sale next summer.
Kobbie Mainoo – Stay
Despite reports that Chelsea and Bayern Munich want to sign the 19-year-old, Kobbie Mainoo should be one of the few genuinely untouchable stars at the club and his contract situation needs sorting ASAP.
He has quality and aspects to his game not possessed by many other midfielders, and with improvements to the stars around him, he and Ugarte should be able to form an effective partnership for many years to come.
Casemiro – Go
Casemiro unfortunately seemed to lose his legs going into his second season at Man Utd. And with the 3-4-3 system demanding even more running from him, it is clear he simply does not fit the bill for what the club need going forward.
It would also help the club’s financial goals to see him sold due to his massive £375,000-a-week wages being taken off the books.
Bruno Fernandes – Stay
The club captain, Bruno Fernandes has faced a lot of criticism since taking the armband for his erratic decisions and losing his temper.
Yet he remains the best player in the squad by some distance and shows the mentality the squad needs to improve. Besides it’s not like United’s most famous captain of the Premier League era, Roy Keane, was exactly cool-headed.
Antony – Go
There’s a definite case to argue that Antony may be the worst pound-for-pound signing in Premier League history, with games too often passing him by and lacking quality when he is involved.
That being said, he has improved in a number of brief cameos when featuring as a wing-back under Amorim. But unless there is a plan for him to learn the position and become a specialist he should be moved on.
Marcus Rashford – Go
It was not supposed to end like this. Once the darling of Old Trafford and Carrington, Marcus Rashford’s comments admitting he wanted a new challenge were probably the final nail in the coffin for his Man Utd future.
There is a classy player in there if he can find the motivation to love his football again. A sale to a rival should be ruled out for fear of exactly that, while a sale overseas should be targeted and pushed by the club.
Amad Diallo – Stay
Has taken a real liking to his role as either the right No.10 in the 3-4-3 or as the right wing-back.
Amad Diallo has been one of the team’s best players this season and was rewarded with a new deal as a result.
Alejandro Garnacho – Go
Arguably the trickiest star on the list, Alejandro Garnacho has bags of raw talent to elevate him to being world-class. But recent off-field issues and poor form have doubt cast on his future.
If, as reports suggest, a major bid of £60m from the likes of Napoli comes in there will be a tough decision to make. Though it may be the financial situation of the club which ultimately tips the scale.
Joshua Zirkzee – Go
Joshua Zirkzee has certainly been hit-and-miss at United so far. He has had some games and moments where he has looked very impressive, and others where he is simply not good enough.
He has a very unique profile which makes him top drawer in the right system, it is just United will probably never play the right way for him to truly excel.
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