Antony has re-joined Real Betis in a permanent deal after leaving Manchester United. The Brazilian winger became emotional as he reflected on a tough 40-day hotel stay and revealed how Betis fans kept him awake at night during the saga.
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TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED
Antony sealed a €25m (£21m/$27m) transfer to Betis on deadline day, signing a five-year contract.
He impressed on loan last season with nine goals and five assists in 26 matches, helping Manuel Pellegrini’s team secure Europa League qualification.
After weeks of negotiations, Betis finally completed the move, which also includes a 50 per cent sell-on clause. His official unveiling in Seville turned emotional as the winger broke down in tears.
THE GRAND SCHEME
For Betis, Antony’s signing is a major coup despite financial challenges. The club fought hard to bring him back, making him a symbol of ambition.
For Manchester United, the transfer ends a difficult chapter with the winger, who struggled to live up to his €95m price tag.
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ANTONY STATEMENT
Antony shared how tough his wait had been before the transfer was finalised:
“What a difference! Seville is more beautiful than Manchester. I’m finally here. I spent more than 40 days in a hotel; it was very hard, but everyone knew I wanted to return to Betis. Now with more time, we have so many things to do and achieve.”
He also revealed how Betis fans showed their passion:
“I had trouble sleeping after seeing so much affection from the Betis fans; there were people waiting at my house at two in the morning. It’s been very hard, but we’re here now. I’m looking forward to wearing the Betis shirt again. I can only thank everyone who made it possible.”
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WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY
The winger is expected to make his second Betis debut on September 14 against Levante in La Liga. Pellegrini will hope Antony’s flair and confidence can push the team further in Europe and closer to Spain’s top four.