Manchester United's £85 million nightmare appears to be heading for a swift conclusion, with Brazilian winger Antony reportedly edging closer to a shock January loan exit to Spanish side Real Betis.
The move, which would see the 23-year-old depart Old Trafford just over a year after his blockbuster arrival from Ajax, signals a dramatic fall from grace for a player once considered central to Erik ten Hag's rebuilding project.
Ten Hag's Trust Evaporates
According to reports from Spain, the Red Devils are now open to cutting their losses on the struggling forward. Antony has managed just eight goals in 62 appearances for the club, failing to justify his enormous price tag. His situation has been compounded by off-field issues and a conspicuous lack of form that has seen him become a peripheral figure.
"The club is ready to listen to offers," a source close to the negotiations revealed. "A loan deal with an option to buy is the most likely scenario for all parties involved."
Betis Emerge as Surprise Suitors
La Liga outfit Real Betis, currently managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, have emerged as the frontrunners for his signature. The Seville-based club sees a potential loan move as a low-risk, high-reward opportunity to add firepower to their attack as they push for European qualification.
For United, the deal would free up a significant portion of the wage bill and potentially allow Ten Hag to reinvest in his squad during the critical winter window, as he seeks solutions to the team's chronic lack of goals.
A Symbol of United's Transfer Struggles
Antony's potential departure is seen by many pundits as an admission of a failed transfer strategy. His signing, orchestrated by Ten Hag to reunite with his former Ajax prodigy, has become emblematic of the club's wasteful spending in the post-Ferguson era.
Should the move to the Benito Villamarín Stadium be completed, it will mark one of the most rapid and expensive declines of a modern-era Manchester United player, raising serious questions about the club's recruitment process.
