Antony claims he was 'disrespected' by Man Utd as £85m flop opens up on 40-day hotel stay while trying to push through Real Betis transfer

Antony eventually got his wish, with United sanctioning a permanent transfer. The Premier League giants took a considerable financial hit on that deal, having splashed out £85 million ($114m) on the South American forward when prising him away from Ajax in 2022. The Red Devils saw just a 12-goal return on that investment across 96 appearances in all competitions, with Antony tumbling down the pecking order.

Having been deemed surplus to requirements, the 25-year-old was allowed to head for Spain in January. He found the target on nine occasions through 26 appearances for Betis, helping them to the Conference League final. When his initial loan agreement came to an end, Anthony was returned to the infamous ‘bomb squad’ at Old Trafford.

He moved into a hotel at one point, after being forced to train away from the rest of Ruben Amorim’s first-team squad, and has questioned United’s handling of a saga that dragged on for the entire summer transfer window - with a return to Betis only being confirmed on deadline day.

Antony has told El Desmarque: “They were very tough months in England, more than 40 days in the hotel, training separately… I feel like they disrespected me, but that’s not the point. I don’t want to create controversy; that’s life. I’m very grateful for the club; there were bad times, but also good times, with two titles. My family travelled to Seville four or five days before the deal was finalised; I had the house rented.”

Antony won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup during his time with United, with both of those trophies being captured under the guidance of his former Ajax manager Erik tan Hag. He is now eager to turn the page on a largely forgettable spell in England and start working his way towards future goals.

One of those involves the Brazil national team, with Antony - who has won 16 senior caps for his country - desperate to earn a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for the 2026 World Cup. He said of that target: “It’s a dream. I played in a World Cup, and of course I dream of playing in it a second time. It’s always great to represent your country. I’m going to do my job, like I’m doing, and I hope to be in the squad.”

Antony formed part of Brazil’s ranks at the 2022 World Cup, offering him another taste of major tournament action. He became a gold medal winner with Brazil at the 2020 Olympic Games - which were pushed back a year during the coronavirus pandemic.

Playing with a smile again should help to bring the best out of Antony. He previously said of his struggles in England, while breaking down in tears: “Only my family knows how hard it was to be there. Training separately. But I knew this incredible moment was coming. Of course, I was afraid it wouldn't happen in the end, but I waited because I had so much faith. Now with more time, there are so many things to do and achieve. I had trouble sleeping after seeing so much love from the Betis fans; there were people waiting at my house at two in the morning.”

Antony intends to reward the affection that has been shown to him by Betis fans, with support being found in Spain that was often denied him in Manchester. His goal account for the 2025-26 campaign has already been opened, with the net being hit in a Europa League opener with Nottingham Forest that ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw.