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Antony says he rejected £117,000-a-week offer from European club to join Real Betis

Originally posted on HITC | By Sean Fisher | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 8:35 AM ET

Manchester United had no choice but to sell Antony to Real Betis this summer with the Brazilian only wanting to join the Spanish side.

Antony’s £22m move came through just before the deadline, bringing an end to his time at Old Trafford. The Brazilian winger wanted only one destination and stuck with that stance throughout the window.

The 2024/25 season went well for him while on loan at Betis, and he was clearly keen to keep that going by signing permanently.

Once the deal was done, Antony spoke openly about how much it meant to him after being left out of pre-season plans back in Manchester. “I cried when I found out that Betis wanted me,” he said, via Sky Sports. “Being at home again – it was a very nice feeling. When I got here, all my teammates gave me a big hug.”

Antony left Manchester United with little choice but a Real Betis sale

Throughout the summer, INEOS were working hard behind the scenes to sort out Antony’s future. While several other clubs showed interest, he made things clear by turning down every approach except for Betis.

The winger didn’t help matters for himself either by getting off social media and not showing up for training until late August – right around when Erik ten Hag was let go.

Antony turned down Bayern Munich despite wage offer

In Antony’s first words as a Betis player, he made it clear that he only had his sights set on a move back to the Spanish club this summer.

Bayern Munich showed interest in Antony, while Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen were also linked. But even if United were willing to accept their deals, Antony was stubborn.

Speaking to El Partidazo, Antony explained why he wasn’t tempted by Bayern’s approach.

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As quoted by Goal, Antony said: “I spoke with Bayern Munich. I don’t know if it was [a] €7 million [offer], but I said I had Betis’s word and that it was 95% certain and that I would respect my word.

“I feel comfortable making this decision because I’m very happy here. More than five teams called me.”

The reported €7 million offer would have meant wages of around £117,000 per week, but none of that seemed to matter to Antony – he only wanted Real Betis.

Ineos making progress in player sales, but Antony departure stings

Over the past decade, United’s recruitment hasn’t just been poor; it’s also lagged behind rivals when it comes to generating income from player sales.

This summer, the club brought in more than £60m through the departures of Antony and Alejandro Garnacho. Even so, both deals fell well short of what United had initially hoped to get for them.

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

The club originally paid Ajax a reported £82m for Antony, but he was eventually sold to Betis for just £22m—closer to what his market value should have been from the start.

While there’s a 50% sell-on clause included in Antony’s deal, United had little choice but to accept a loss and move on.

Ineos and manager Amorim will be looking ahead, hoping that better squad management will lead to stronger returns in future transfer windows.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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