'Unstoppable' Man Utd star set for £40m exit after dropping '10/10' performance - opinion

When Manchester United sanctioned a six-month loan move for Antony back in January, nobody at Old Trafford could have imagined the upturn in performances from the former Ajax man.

He arrived at the Red Devils for a huge £86m in 2022 but struggled to live up to the price tag as he never really got going under Erik ten Hag and then Ruben Amorim, who allowed him to join Real Betis on loan in January.

Since his move to Spain, he has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 21 appearances. Seven of those goal involvements have come in the Europa League Conference, with Betis set to face Chelsea in the final of the competition later this month. Antony could end up with two European winners medals come the end of the season if Betis can beat Chelsea and if United win the Europa League.

Antony hailed by Spanish media after latest Real Betis heroics

Antony scored and assisted on Thursday night as Real Betis drew 2-2 with Fiorentina in Italy to win their Conference League semi-final 4-3 on aggregate. He scored a stunning volley in the first leg, and followed that up with a fine free-kick away from home.

Spanish media lavished him with praise for his performances.

Last week, Estadio Deportivo, described Antony as “unstoppable” since joining Betis and following more heroics, they issued him with a 10/10 match rating from Thursday. They wrote: “With a crisp cut and long-range shot, he was the first to test De Gea. He repeated with another left-footed shot that the Spanish goalkeeper deflected for a corner with another diving effort. He was eager and showed it by winning a free kick that he executed masterfully to make it 0-1: a shot off the post and in. Always ready to break into space. They constantly looked for him, even falling to the expected, but he ultimately tipped the balance with the pass for Abde in extra time. He now has eight goals and five assists as a Betis player.”

El Desmarque issued him with a 9/10 rating, and wrote: “Insidious from the start of the match, he scored a stunning goal full of quality. Fiorentina tried to eliminate him and succeeded in the second half, but he appeared in extra time to provide an assist that would prove decisive. One of the main reasons for Betis' dream end to the season.”

Man United hopeful of £40m for Antony in the summer - and they are likely to get it

Reports last month claimed United were confident of getting £40m for selling Antony this summer. His latest performances will only have bolstered that view with the Red Devils now in a fantastic position to sell Antony for the desired fee.

While the £40m is less than half of what they paid for him, it is enough for United to avoid making a loss when it comes to profit and sustainability. Betis are keen to retain Antony but a number of clubs have been linked with the Brazilian, included La Liga giants Atletico Madrid. If his performances continue, the Red Devils should have no problem finding a permanent home for him in the upcoming transfer window for the £40m price tag.

Antony’s performances for Betis have not persuaded the United board to keep him next season but there is a satisfaction the successful loan has driven the player’s price up. Had he stayed at the Red Devils, he would have unlikely been able to make the same impact having found life difficult at United.