The end is near? Manchester United and Real Betis tipped to seal Antony transfer only for Spanish club to 'withdraw offer' for Brazilian winger

Sky Sports reported that a bid had been accepted by the Red Devils and that Antony had been cleared to travel to Spain for a medical and contract negotiations. However, it has since been claimed by BBC Sport that Betis have withdrawn their offer as they cannot afford the transfer fee or the wages the Brazilian desires.

The Brazilian winger has agitated for a return to Betis since his loan spell ended. Manuel Pellegrini reciprocated the interest, reiterating his desire for the 25-year-old to come back to the club despite the two teams' apparent inability to agree on a deal. The Red Devils were hoping to command a fee of €40m for the player's services.

Despite this current confusion, Antony's future clearly still lies outside of Manchester. Upon his return to the club for pre-season, he was one of five want-away players forced to train separately from Amorim's squad. 

Betis have haggled with United over the terms of Antony's return throughout the summer and there could yet be another twist in this saga. A return to Betis would offer Antony a chance to rebuild his career with a club and manager that value his talents. The 25-year-old chipped in with nine goals in his 26 appearances during the loan spell; a healthy return that offers United fans a glimpse of what might have been.