Manchester United’s Antony is enjoying life in Spain since joining Real Betis on loan in the winter market.
The winger struggled for regular minutes at Manchester United, but things have improved a lot for him at Real Betis. He’s played over 1,300 minutes from 16 games, managing four goals and four assists in the process.
ESPN NL had a chat with the 25-year-old, where he revealed Manuel Pellegrini called him to join the La Liga side. That played a part in his decision to pick them over other clubs in January.
“He called me personally when I was in Manchester. That immediately gave me the confidence to play my best game. He is a great coach and a kind of father to this group,” he said.
The Andalusian club haven’t secured a purchase option with the Red Devils. As it stands, the Brazil international has to return to the Premier League club after this season.
Real Betis, however, have a firm desire to extend the attacker’s stay. Earlier this month, their sporting director, Manu Fajardo, stated they will do everything to retain Antony.
Last week, Real Betis vice-president José Miguel López Catalán also went public with their desire to retain the South American.
Despite Real Betis’ officials making their interest public, Antony is unsure about where he will play next season. His contract at Old Trafford lasts until 2027.
“I don’t know what will happen in the future. It’s too early to say whether I’ll stay here. I’m having a great time anyway, but we’ll see what happens after this season,” Antony explained.
Meanwhile, the Manchester United owned player is clear that he wants to be an inspiration to others.
“I want to return to the national team. I want to play in a World Cup, make my son proud. But I also want to grow off the pitch. I want to be an inspiration to the children from the favela. I want to show them that some dreams can really come true,” he added.
“Nobody gets there without opportunities. But it does start with believing in yourself, no matter how small the chance. I didn’t even have football boots when I was younger, but I kept fighting.”
