Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Antony, Manchester United, Ruben Amorim
Ryan Smart
Antony has broken his silence on his Manchester United future ahead of an impending loan move to La Liga side Real Betis.
The Brazilian winger is set to sign for the Spanish club on loan until the end of the season, having already travelled to Seville to complete a medical.
Reports claim that an option to buy for Betis has been inserted into the deal, which would end a largely miserable three-season spell at United for the winger.
Antony signed for United for a fee of around £85 million from Ajax in the summer of 2022, and despite impressing during his early matches for the Red Devils, never found any sort of consistent form and has spent much of the last 18 months on the fringes of the side.
Advert
The 24-year-old hasn't started a single Premier League match since Ruben Amorim took charge in November, but did surprisingly play the second half of United's comeback 3-1 win over Southampton earlier this month, with his side having been 1-0 down when he came on.
Amorim had briefly decided to block the loan move to Betis, according to reports in Spain, as he wanted to name Antony in his squad for Thursday's Europa League victory over Rangers.
Now that match has been completed, Antony is now set to play for Manuel Pellegrini's side until the end of the current campaign - and potentially beyond.
And after being spotted at a Spanish airport, Antony gave his feelings on the move - and seemingly about his future at Old Trafford.
He told reporters (via Fabrizio Romano): "I'm so happy. I'm ready."
Antony will hope that the new environment presents him with new opportunities to recapture the sort of form that originally prompted United to shell out one of their biggest ever transfer fees - a fee which now looks set to result in a significant loss.
Speaking on the club's pre-season tour in August, he said: "I demand a lot of myself and obviously I was not satisfied with my season [in 2023/24].
"A lot happened over the year in my personal life. Like it or not, everything had an effect on the pitch.
"But I've got a strong mentality and I'm focused on what I want. I know this season will be totally different."
The Brazilian still has time to make that last statement come true in Betis.