Antony has been a revelation for Real Betis since his January arrival from Manchester United, and understandably, there is a desire for him to stay at the club beyond the end of the current season. However, reaching an agreement on an extension will be much easier said than done for Los Verdiblancos.
Betis have been delighted with the impact that Antony has made since he joined the club, with the Brazilian winger amassing four goals and four assists in 12 appearances across all competitions. On top of this, his overall performances have been excellent, such as the one during last weekend’s victory in El Gran Derbi.
That result kept Betis level on points with Villarreal in the race for the final Champions League spot, and according to Relevo, qualifying for European football’s elite competition could given the Andalusians a significant advantage when it comes to negotiating with Man United in the summer.
Betis would net a minimum of €50m upon qualifying for next season’s Champions League, and a significant portion of these funds could be allocated towards a deal for Antony. On top of this, it would also increase the chances of the winger pressuring Man United to accept an offer that comes their way from the Benito Villamarin, especially as the Premier League side are unlikely to be in the competition themselves.
Betis are also said to have good relations with Man United on the back of the loan deal agreed during the winter transfer window, and that should make things easier when negotiating in the summer.
There is undoubtedly a strong desire from within Betis for Antony to stay at the club for at least one more season. For now, they will continue to enjoy utilising his services for the remainder of the current campaign, at which point there will inevitably be talks with Man United.
