Brazil forward Antony was very emotional and broke down in tears while speaking about his time at Manchester United, following his summer switch to Real Betis.
The 25-year-old sealed a return to the Spanish side, after spending the latter part of last campaign on loan at the club.
Real Betis agreed to pay an initial fee of €22 million, with another €3 million in add-ons, while the Red Devils will get up to 50% on any future sale.
Antony joined Man United under former manager Erik Ten Hag from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022, but struggled to justify his £85 million price tag during an underwhelming spell.
“Only my family knows how hard it was to be there,” Antony said during his unveiling at the Spanish club.
“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.
[Making the transfer happen] was very hard, but we’re here now. I can’t wait to wear the Betis shirt again. I can only thank everyone who made it possible,” he revealed.
Antony netted nine times in 26 appearances for Betis in the second half of last season, after he was deemed surplus to requirements following the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
The club kept him out of preseason actions and had him train separately before his Spain move.
“What a difference! Seville is more beautiful than Manchester. I’m finally here. I spent more than 40 days in a hotel; it was very hard, but everyone knew I wanted to return to Betis. Now with more time, there are so many things to do and achieve”, he added.
“I had trouble sleeping after seeing so much love from the Betis fans; there were people waiting at my house at 2 in the morning.
Being cared about is very important to me, it is something money can’t buy,” Antony said. “Here, I have had good feelings and felt lots of affection. It was always my first choice, and that’s why I waited until the last day to return to Betis. Now I’m here and happy in a city and at a club that I love”, the Brazilian continued.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
