Antony has been nothing short of a sensation for Real Betis since arriving at the club on loan in January. The Brazilian wasn’t able to make enough of an impact at Manchester United, especially when it’s considered how much the Premier League club paid for him.
Ruben Amorim clearly didn’t feel he needed to keep the attacker around and so his agents were sent to look for a loan club. Multiple options appeared, and Real Betis managed to convince Antony and his camp that a move to Andalusia was the best bet for his career.
Since the move, and it proving to be a success, Antony has spoken about how living in Seville suits him better. He’s clearly made a serious effort to fit in, speaking to the local media on a near-daily basis after training and taking part in multiple fan events.
Real Betis want to keep him around and have now gone public to share their confidence that a deal will be found, presumably for a further year on loan from Manchester United.
Estadio Deportivo, the local sport newspaper, say the agreement is ‘very close’ and quote Real Betis’ Vice President José Miguel López Catalán as saying: “Yes, we’ve already said it a couple of times. It’s crystal clear. Relations are very good with all three parties, and we’re doing everything in our power. Now, we’re going to finish the season, see how we finish and whether we’re in the Champions League or not.
“Then, we’ll sit down and negotiate. It was much more difficult to bring him in in January than for him to stay for another year now. It will depend on many things, but we have options, and we’re very clear about that, of course.”
