Real Betis have reportedly identified an alternative target if their efforts to sign Manchester United forward Antony fail.
After falling out of favour under Erik ten Hag and failing to break into Ruben Amorim’s plans, Antony was sent out on loan to Betis to ensure his career doesn’t stall.
He enjoyed an uptick in form at Betis, notching an impressive nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances across all competitions. The Brazilian helped the side attain a top-six La Liga finish and also reach the final of the Conference League, where they eventually fell to a heavy defeat at the hands of Chelsea.
Betis are keen on extending Antony’s stay with them, which is a desire that is shared by the winger.
Betis and United having trouble striking a deal for Antony
United and Betis are believed to have already held talks regarding Antony. The Red Devils’ preference is for a permanent sale, while Betis have proposed a loan deal, with the option of making the transfer a permanent one at the end of the 2025/26 season.
There were even suggestions that Betis want United to help cover Antony’s salary. This is despite the player being open to taking a wage cut to realise his dream of continuing with Los Verdiblancos.
At the moment, the two clubs are in a stalemate and negotiations don’t seem to be progressing.
A report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Betis are exploring the possibility of a unique part-ownership deal. Under this arrangement, United would retain allow Antony to leave for an initial modest fee, while retaining a percentage of his rights.
The hope is that Antony’s progress at Estadio Benito Villamarín will boost his value and lead to a larger transfer down the line, allowing United to pocket a cut of the fee.
However, the idea hasn’t picked up any momentum and appears unlikely to materialise.
Betis line up swoop for Brian Zaragoza as Antony’s alternative
According to Spanish news outlet AS, Betis are eyeing a swoop for Bayern Munich star Brian Zaragoza as an alternative to Antony.
The overwhelming feeling at the moment is that Zaragoza, who Bayern are desperate to offload after failing to make an impact in Bavaria, will seal a switch to Celta Vigo. However, according to AS, nothing is finalised and there is still a chance that other suitors could come in and hijack the deal.
It’s understood that signing Antony would mean that Betis have little money left to spend on reinforcing other areas of their squad, so this could also influence their decision to move in for Zaragoza.
Additionally, Zaragoza is keen on moving to the South of Spain and Betis ticks the boxes.
Featured image Fran Santiago via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
