La Liga club Real Betis have praised Antony and confirmed that they want to keep the on-loan Manchester United player after he helped them to victory in the derby against Sevilla.
The Brazilian international went through a difficult period at Manchester United, where he was “devalued”, according to sporting director Manu Fajardo.
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But after the forgettable episode in his career, Antony has been well received in Sevilla. He was hailed as a hero after the 2-1 win at Benito Villamarín, where he waved a large Betis flag on the pitch as the home fans cheered.
“We work with ‘devalued’ players – we analyse data from players who have achieved very high levels, but who, for various reasons, have had a significant decline in performance. As for Antony, he has performed from the first minute at Betis,” Fajardo told La Pizarra de Quintana on Radio Marca before the game.
“The player quickly integrated into the project and has shown fantastic performances since he arrived.
Betis would like to keep Antony
Fajardo added that Betis want to keep him.: “We hope Antony stays at the club, but in football nothing can be taken for granted”
Isco, who for nine seasons was a key Real Madrid player, joked to DAZN:
“We have to start a fundraiser to get Antony to stay!
For his part, the former Ajax player, for whom Manchester United paid €95 million, has indicated that he wants to stay in Spain for a long time.
“Seville reminds me of a lot of things in Brazil: the sun, the food and the people,” he told DAZN. “It’s very important for people who come from my country.
“I needed to find myself and be happy. With each passing day, I think it’s the best choice I could have made. I learned a lot of good things at Manchester United, but I also experienced a lot of bad things there.
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Isco: An attraction for other players
Antony’s teammate Isco has also received praise from Fajardo, who believes the former Real Madrid star’s influence is unique – and could help the club attract more big talent.
“He has been playing football for 14 years and I have never met a player with such good values, upbringing and leadership qualities,” said Fajardo.
Isco joined Betis as a free agent in 2023, having won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid.
