Manchester United winger Antony has sparked fresh speculation over his future after posting a 14-word message on Instagram amid uncertainty surrounding his proposed move to Real Betis.
The 25-year-old spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Betis, where he rediscovered his form, recording nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances.
He played a key role in guiding the La Liga side to the Europa Conference League final, which they narrowly lost to Chelsea, and appeared to be thriving in Spain.
Speaking to TNT Sports Brazil earlier this year, Antony admitted he had fallen out of love with football during his struggles at Manchester United.
“It was a moment when I thought about stopping playing,” he revealed.
“I no longer felt that desire to play because of everything I was going through… I even told my brother that I couldn’t take it anymore.”
The winger credited his loan spell at Betis with helping him rediscover his passion for the game.
United Chaos and Betis U-turn
After returning to Old Trafford this summer, Antony was among several players — including Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia, and Alejandro Garnacho — told to train away from the first-team squad.
Reports on Friday (August 29) suggested United had accepted a bid from Real Betis to make the move permanent. However, the Spanish club released a statement hours later confirming they had withdrawn their offer, citing financial difficulties.
“Betis has retired its offer. Betis cannot afford a transfer fee, nor the amounts the player is supposed to receive,” the club said.
According to BBC Sport, one stumbling block could be linked to a payment related to Antony’s outstanding wages on his United contract, which runs until 2027.
Antony’s Cryptic 14-Word Message
As confusion continues, Antony broke his silence with an Instagram story. Pictured alongside friends and family, he wrote in Portuguese:
“Entre Familia e amigos, a vida sempre nos reserva uma grande surpresa” – translated as: “Between family and friends, life always has a big surprise in store for us.”
With the English transfer window closing on September 1 at 7 pm and the Spanish window remaining open until 10:59 pm, Antony’s future remains up in the air.
