Source: Betis closing on Antony loan from United

Real Betis are closing in on a loan deal for Manchester United winger Antony, a source has told ESPN.

A number of clubs have expressed an interest in signing the Brazil international in January. Real Betis are leading the race and although an agreement has not yet been reached, the LaLiga side are growing increasingly confident.

The deal, should it be agreed, is likely to be a loan until the end of the season with United paying at least a portion of the 24-year-old’s wages.

Antony has struggled to justify United’s decision to spend more than £80 million ($97.3m) to sign him from Ajax in 2022. He remains the second most expensive incoming transfer in the club’s history behind Paul Pogba.

He’s made 95 appearances — most of them under former manager Erik ten Hag who he also worked with at Ajax — and has scored 12 goals. Antony hasn’t started a Premier League game since May and has started just three games in all competitions this season.

He’s under contract at Old Trafford until 2027 with the option to extend by an additional year until 2028.

Head coach Ruben Amorim was non-committal about Antony’s future following the 3-1 win over Southampton on Thursday, saying only that “we’ll see” when asked whether he could leave this month.

Meanwhile, United are still looking for a club to take Marcus Rashford in January.

Borussia Dortmund have moved ahead of AC Milan in the hunt for his signature after the Italian side decided to explore the possibility of signing Kyle Walker from Manchester City.

Serie A rules mean Milan can only sign one English player in January and will have to choose between Rashford and Walker.