Real Betis withdrew their proposal to sign Antony permanently because the club cannot afford the transfer fee or the player's wages. Antony impressed during a loan spell in La Liga but the permanent move has collapsed. Manchester United now face the task of finding alternative suitors before the transfer deadline while seeking to recoup funds from an expensive failed signing. Interest had surfaced from Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Brighton and RB Leipzig, but none had advanced as far as Betis. Those clubs or others could renew interest in the next 24 hours, leaving Antony available.
The Spanish club took Antony on loan in the second half of last season, and he performed well in his stint in La Liga. According to BBC Sport, the 25-year-old had been favouring the prospect of returning to Betis in a permanent transfer, but this now seems to have collapsed. The BBC's report quotes an official Betis statement, with the club clearly stating that they cannot afford the transfer fee for Antony, nor the player's wages.
It remains to be seen if there's any way to revive this deal, but it certainly doesn't look too promising, which will be a huge source of frustration for Man United. Antony has been a major flop during his time at Old Trafford and they could do with making a few more sales as Ruben Amorim continues to revamp this squad.
Antony wanted to join Betis again, but one imagines there'll be other reasonable offers that come in before Monday's transfer deadline. CaughtOffside were previously informed about some interest from Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Brighton and RB Leipzig, but these never got anywhere near as advanced as Betis. There could now be another chance for these clubs to get involved, though, so they could be the names to watch out for in the next 24 hours or so.
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