What Awaits Antony After His Revival in Spain?
Antony may soon have more to ponder than just a return to Real Betis, as two unnamed clubs from the Saudi Pro League have now entered the picture, offering him additional alternatives. Despite Antony’s preference for a move back to Spain, he is believed to be weighing his options carefully before making a final decision.
The Brazilian winger is currently one of four players left out of Manchester United’s pre-season tour of the United States by manager Ruben Amorim. Alongside Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia, and Alejandro Garnacho, Antony has remained at Carrington to sort out a transfer. With Marcus Rashford officially joining Barcelona on loan this week, the remaining quartet now face increasingly uncertain futures at Old Trafford. Although Antony has attracted attention from several clubs in recent weeks, no formal negotiations have taken place. He is understood to have rejected an offer to join Cesc Fabregas’ Como project in Italy, while Atletico Madrid were reported to be leading the race for his signature just days ago.
Antony is reportedly eager to return to Real Betis, where he enjoyed a productive six-month loan last season. He is said to value the faith shown by Manuel Pellegrini and is hoping for a permanent deal at the Villamarin. However, Betis are currently unable to meet United’s £30 million valuation, and the Premier League side are reluctant to sanction another loan without a fee upfront. That financial impasse may now be broken thanks to fresh interest from Saudi Arabia. According to a report from Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, two clubs from the Saudi Pro League are now monitoring Antony’s situation. The winger is still believed to favour staying in Europe, though sources indicate that he could be open to a move to the Middle East if no viable European options arise.
Amorim’s Standards Pushed Rashford Out
Marcus Rashford has now completed what many close to him described as a ‘dream move’ to Barcelona, joining the Spanish giants on a season-long loan. The move comes after previous talks in January fell through due to Barcelona’s financial difficulties. It is understood that the Catalan club revived their interest this summer after missing out on both Nico Williams and Luis Diaz.
Rashford’s exile began in December 2024, when Amorim opted to leave him and Garnacho out of the squad for the Manchester derby. He explained that both players were dropped due to their training standards and general conduct. Garnacho returned to the team the following week, but Rashford remained sidelined and eventually joined Aston Villa on loan in January.
Amorim said that he had specific expectations for how professional footballers should train and behave on a daily basis, and that Rashford had failed to meet those standards. He made it clear that he would rather go without than compromise on those principles, even suggesting that he would pick goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital ahead of a player who did not fully commit. After Rashford’s loan switch to Villa, Amorim explained that he had struggled to get the forward to adapt to his approach, pointing out that different managers often elicit different performances from the same player. Barcelona will have the option to make the deal permanent next summer, though if they choose not to, United may be forced to reassess Rashford’s place in the squad once more.
