Antony transfer fee: Real Betis deal means Manchester United not to pay a penny more to Brazilian winger

Real Betis will sign Manchester United winger Antony on the deadline deal after the two clubs agreed a fee of €25 million (£21.6m), a report said. Brazilian Antony, who had a dream loan spell with the La Liga side that season, will receive an additional €3 million in potential bonuses. As per The Athletic, Manchester United have included a sell-on clause which would see the Premier League side receiving 50 per cent of the profit Betis make on a future transfer.

Manchester United will no longer be paying Antony any money as part of the deal, The Athletic added.

Antony, the second costliest buy in the history of Old Trafford, has two years remaining on his current deal that helps him earn £6million annually. The 25-year-old was reportedly looking  for a bidder who could possibly pay him sonething similar since Betis are not a team that could match his salary in England. With the deal now finalised, he is set to take  €4 million cut, the report said.

Real Betis will not make a higher bid and their agreement would be considered withdrawn and no longer valid unless this is resolved between United and the player, The Athletic said.

Antony and Real Betis

After featuring in just four games with zero goal contributions for Manchester United in the Premier League 2024-25 season, Antony secured a move to La Liga in January and quickly adapted, making an immediate impact for Betis. He earned a starter's spot under Manuel Pellegrini, managing six goals and four assists in 19 matches. Antony's presence helped to strengthen Betis's attack and they also managed a prestigious sixth-place finish in the league, which meant qualification for the Europa League in 2025-26.

With the acquisitions of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, the transfer window has been a relatively expensive one for Manchester United, who will also be hoping for the Antony loan deal to materialise. That would then help in easing the financial situation at the club, given Antony's high wages at the club. With the Brazilian having a strong rapport with Betis and their fans, this move seems set for a positive result, sooner rather than later.

In the 2024-25 season, the loan deal to Betis helped United to cover approximately 84 per cent of his wages, amounting to an approximate £140,000 per week, and there was also a penalty fee included. While both Antony and Betis wanted to continue their association, Manchester United said they would not let the winger have another loan spell. If the Spanish side wanted him, they would have to buy him. During the loan spell, Real Betis were only paying a fraction of Antony's huge salary. It was widely considered that Betis could not afford the finances to make Antony's stay permanent, as his asking price was far more than they could come up with. Antony's current contract at Old Trafford runs out on June 30, 2027.