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Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has seemingly turned up the heat on Manchester United with a remark concerning Antony.
United and Betis deadlocked over Antony
Antony spent the latter half of last season on loan at Betis, where he enjoyed a dramatic uptick in form.
He quickly established cult hero status at Betis, playing a key role in their sixth-placed finish and run to the Europa Conference League final, where they eventually fell short against Chelsea.
Unsurprisingly, Betis are eager to bring him back and Antony has made no secret of his desire to return. The Brazilian is even said to have snubbed other offers in the hope of sealing a Betis switch.
Antony remains sidelined at United and he has no future at the club. He was left out of their pre-season plans and did not feature in the 2025/26 Premier League opener against Arsenal.
However, Betis have so far demonstrated an unwillingness to meet United’s demands. While the Red Devils want a permanent transfer, the Spanish outfit are keen on a loan deal. There have even been suggestions that Betis want United to cover a portion of Antony’s wages.
A report covered by the Peoples Person relayed that Betis put forward a rather unusual proposal that involved splitting Antony’s ownership rights with United. The deal would see Betis pay a modest upfront fee, while United retained a substantial percentage of any future sale, positioning them to profit heavily from a later transfer.
Now, Pellegrini has seemingly piled pressure on United to make a call by stating that they have the power to decide where Antony will go.
Pellegrini puts United under the spotlight
Ahead of Betis’ meeting with Alaves, Pellegrini spoke to the media and was asked for an update on Antony.
He answered, “I haven’t spoken to him. We all know he was very happy here and will surely want to return.”
“But the transfer holder, Manchester United, also has to decide.”
Pellegrini’s comments are unlikely to goad United into folding even as transfer deadline day nears. Meanwhile, Amorim and his players are back in action on Sunday when they face Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Featured image Gabriele Maltinti via Getty Images
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