Real Betis tell Man Utd they ‘DEVALUED’ Antony as ‘CROWDFUNDING’ plea made

Robin Bairner

• 31 Mar 2025 01:25 CDT
• 4 min read

News

Antony has been hailed by Real Betis, with the club confirming they plan to keep the on-loan Manchester United star after he helped them to victory in the derby against Sevilla.

The Brazil international endured a torrid period at Man Utd, where he was “devalued”, according to sporting director Manu Fajardo.

Current ETV

Antony

M, AM (R)

Real Betis

Antony

M, AM (R)

Real Betis

€22.6M

ETV Range

€20.4M - €24.9M

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But after that forgettable interlude in his career, Antony has been made to feel at home in Seville, where he was greeted as a hero following the 2-1 success at Benito Villamarin, waving a massive Betis flag in the centre of the park as he was hailed by the home fans.

“Here, we work on ‘devalued players, analysing data from players who have reached very high moments and peaks, but who for various reasons have significantly decreased their performances. In Antony’s case, he has performed since minute one at Betis,” Fajardo told ‘La Pizarra de Quintana’ on Radio Marca prior to the game.

“The player quickly integrated into the project and has demonstrated spectacular performances since his arrival.”

Betis desperate for Antony stay

He also added that Betis want to keep the player.

“We hope that Antony will remain at the club, but in football, nothing can be taken for granted,” he said.

Isco joked to DAZN: “We need to do crowdfunding to bring Antony in!”

For his part, the former Ajax winger, who was signed for €95 million by Man Utd, has hinted at a long-term stay in Spain.

“Seville reminds me of many things in Brazil: the sun, the food and the people,” he told DAZN. “It’s very important for people who come from my country.

“I needed to find myself and be happy. Every day that goes by, I think it's the best decision I could have made. I learned a lot of good things at Manchester United , but I also experienced a lot of bad things there.”

Isco praised: A draw for other players

Antony’s team-mate Isco, meanwhile, has also been praised by Fajardo, with the influence of the former Real Madrid star hailed both as unique and as something that can help attract other leading talents to the club.

“He’s been in football for 14 years and I’ve never met a player so exemplary in terms of values, education and leadership,” Fajardo said. “Having Isco in the squad is a draw for other players because his professionalism is so widely admired.”

Isco arrived at Betis as a free agent in 2023, having won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid.