Real Betis Pull the Plug on Antony Deal After Transfer Talks Collapse

Real Betis have officially withdrawn from transfer talks with Manchester United regarding winger Antony, stating they cannot meet the financial requirements demanded by both the club and the player.

Reports surfaced this week suggesting United and Betis were nearing a long-awaited agreement for Antony, who has clearly expressed his desire to return to the Spanish club where he spent the latter half of last season on loan.

The Athletic was among the media outlets reporting on Friday that a deal had been struck between United and Betis, reportedly valued at an initial €25 million (£21.7 million, $29.2 million) plus an additional €3 million in performance-related bonuses. The arrangement would also grant United 50% of any profit from a subsequent sale.

Spanish media quickly highlighted Betis's dissatisfaction with these reports, emphasizing that no deal had been finalized, prompting the La Liga club to issue official statements to several English media outlets for clarification.

"No agreement exists and we have retracted our transfer proposal because Real Betis cannot meet the transfer fee and the sums that Manchester United must [alternatively] compensate the player prior to the move," a statement provided to talkSPORT explained.

BBC Sport subsequently quoted Betis stating: "Betis has withdrawn its proposal. Betis cannot cover a transfer fee, nor the compensation the player expects to receive."

At the heart of the dispute are Antony's salary expectations. The Brazilian winger faces a substantial pay reduction and is reportedly seeking financial compensation to agree to terminate the remaining two years of his United contract, valued at £6 million annually.

Betis expects United to negotiate a settlement with Antony, while the Red Devils are hesitant to commit to substantial expenditure merely to remove the former Ajax player from their roster. Currently, negotiations have reached an impasse.

United remains optimistic that a resolution can be found, believing Betis may simply be applying negotiating pressure. Old Trafford executives will certainly hope this proves accurate as time runs short to transfer Antony before Monday's deadline.