When Manchester United signed Antony in 2022 for around £85 million from Ajax, they envisioned a stunning winger with flares, pace and game-changing possibilities. But two years later, Antony finds himself in the football wilderness. He lost confidence, faced with scrutiny from fans and experts, and with personal confusion. But what has been unfolding since the January 2025 loan to Real Betis is one of the most compelling comeback stories in recent football memories.
Lock bottom player
Antony’s struggle at Manchester United was not merely tactical, but deeply emotional and psychological. After being isolated from his family and separated from his home country of Brazil, criticism hit him, he admitted that he had locked him in his room for several days without eating. He described a dark mental state that made even more difficult to interact with his son. His life in Manchester was confessed and hollow, and his performance on the pitch reflected his inner confusion.
His united career was also plagued by contradictions. After a encouragemental start under Eric Teng Hug, his former coach Antony’s form suddenly immersed. He lost the place he started and became a symbol of United’s volatile performance. The demands of Premier League football were mercilessly proved, but the price tag weighed heavily on him. By the winter transfer window of the 2024/25 season, both the club and the players knew something had to change.
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Gambling from Betis
Enter Real Betis – a club rich in history, talent and identity, but without the economic muscles of the real European giant. The Andalucian Club, led by Manuel Pellegrini, saw a rare opportunity at Antony. Once exposed talent needed to be reinvented. Despite his prices and profile, he arrived in Seville on loan without fanfare. There were no grand announcements. A quiet promise from Pellegrini is to give him a few minutes of trust and a stable environment.
Something clicked from the beginning. Betis’ more technical, owned-based game is much more suited to Antony than the directness of United’s style. Pellegrini gave him tactical freedom and clarity of position, defending him to the right with a liquid front three primarily. Teammates like Isco are Betis’ rejuvenation figures – who helped him integrate him socially and onto the pitch. Antony began to smile again. In his own words, he “rediscovered the joy of playing football.”
Renaissance on the pitch
Numbers speak volume. In just 25 games for Betis, Antony scored nine goals and provided five assists, almost matching his overall production over two seasons with United. However, statistics were not the only thing that caught my eye. It’s what he owns, his risk-taking in one-on-one situations, and a new acuteness in his movement.
His most moving performance came in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League with Fiorentina. With Betis being kicked out in the aggregate, Antony acquired a curling equalizer and later provided a sublime assist in the extra time to secure the club’s first European final. His contributions in the match under pressure reminded the observers why United paid him such a premium in the first place.
Antony’s ability to change the game with individual glows is back. His link-up play with Isco and Nabil Fekir (another player who found his foot on Betis after a problematic period) was fluid and imaginative, and his defensive power, once a point of criticism, has improved significantly. Betis, like Antony, built up a European run where, amortized elsewhere, found a new life in Seville.
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From responsibility to assets
In Manchester, Antony’s transformation is not noticed. While United fans may still be skeptical, club executives face a dilemma. Antony’s loan to Betis was not made up of purchase options as he believed he would regain this level. But now, as his value has recovered and there is a possibility that he will sell him for a substantial fee, United must decide:
Betis is desperate to protect him on their side. CEO Ramón Alarcón confirmed that players wanted to stay and that discussions had already begun between the clubs. However, the financial gap is important. Even if United discounts Antony’s price tag significantly, Betis will have to break the wage structure to meet his demands. The club is reportedly seeking help from sponsors and third-party investors to make the transaction possible.
A second loan transaction is also being discussed, allowing Betis to maintain Antony without heavy financial spending on permanent transfers.
Impact on Manchester United
Antony’s success in Spain is also a reflection on United’s ongoing identity crisis. Some famous signatures have failed to thrive in Old Trafford, but many have succeeded elsewhere. The club’s difficulties in fostering talent, integrating foreign players, and maintaining a consistent tactical structure continue to be exposed. Antony’s struggle wasn’t just his fault. They were symptoms of broader dysfunction.
If United decides to bring him back, it must be under a clear system that will affect his strengths, along with a manager who believes in his unique style. Otherwise, he might send him to a place where he thrives.
Red symbol
Antony’s story is no longer about football. It is about the importance of redemption, mental health, and the context. His journey from the shadow of Manchester to the spotlight of Seville is evidence of how environment and empathy can revive a career. He is no longer a heavy lifter hidden from the world. He is now a fearless advance, taking over the defender with joy and purpose.
As he prepares for the final of the Conference League, perhaps the most important match of his career to date, Antony represents more than a revived talent. He sometimes reminds me that all I need is faith, the right system, and a place to call home.