Romano announces €60m agreement as Antony transfer 'very close'

Tom Weber

Updated: 12 Apr 2025 18:19 BST
4 min read

Real Betis are set to announce a major deal that will signal their ambitious plans as they continue their attempts to keep Manchester United winger Antony beyond this season.

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The LaLiga side have been flying high since a successful January transfer window, which saw them splash the cash on Cucho Hernandez and loan Antony from Man Utd.

STATS

Antony

M, AM (R)

Real Betis

Antony

M, AM (R)

Real Betis

14

Games
4

Goals
4

Assists

Both have been a resounding success so far, with Antony's resurgence in particular raising eyebrows given how poor he was during his time at Old Trafford.

Real Betis are one of Europe's in-form teams at present, beating Real Madrid last month, holding Barcelona to a draw at the weekend and comfortably winning their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Jagiellona on Thursday.

Antony's productivity has tailed off since his red-hot start, but he remains an eminently important player for the Seville-based side, and they are determined to try and keep him around.

Real Betis seal deal as Antony agreement 'close'

Real Betis look a good bet to finish the season in a European spot in LaLiga, while they could even qualify for the Champions League should they win the Europa League.

This would massively boost their revenues and increase their chances of keeping Antony. However, even if they fail to achieve this, Betis will make sure that the summer window is a big one to show their ambition and ensure that this successful season isn't a one-off.

With this in mind, they have moved swiftly to tie one of their best prospects down to a new long-term deal, with Fabrizio Romano announcing that Man City target Sergi Altimira has committed to fresh terms until 2029 with a €60 million release clause.

What's more, the signs of Antony remaining look promising, if local outlet Estadio Deportivo is to be believed. In fact, the Spanish publication goes so far as to suggest that a deal to keep the Brazilian - likely on loan for another season - is already 'very close.'

"It’s crystal clear," the outlet quotes vice-president Jose Miguel Lopez Catalan as saying. "Relations are very good with all three parties, and we’re doing everything in our power. Now, we’re going to complete 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.”