Antony (25, Real Betis), who was called a 'failed project' by Manchester United, has fully resurrected. Real Betis is expected to enter into serious negotiations with Manchester United regarding the extension of Antony's loan.

Real Betis, with Antony in the starting lineup, defeated Fiorentina (Italy) in the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) semifinals on the 9th (Korea Standard Time), successfully advancing to the finals.

A week ago, Real Betis had a 2-1 lead in the home first leg but lost 1-2 in this away match. However, after a grueling extra time, Abdé Ezzalzouli's decisive goal equalized the score to 2-2, leading to a total score of 4-3 victory over the two legs.

Now, Real Betis will face Chelsea (England) in the tournament finals scheduled to take place on the 29th at Stadion Wrocław in Poland. Real Betis is aiming for their first European competition title since their founding in 1907.

That day, Antony was once again the main character. He scored a brilliant free kick for the opening goal and assisted Ezzalzouli's decisive goal in extra time, contributing to the team's advancement to the finals. Antony shed tears after the match.

Antony, who was loaned from Manchester United to Real Betis last January, has scored 8 goals and provided 5 assists in 21 matches this season, including league and cup competitions. He is being praised for showing the best form that was not seen at Manchester United.

As a result, both Real Betis fans and the club strongly desire Antony's stay. Ángel Aro, the president of Betis, also officially stated through Spain's 'COPE', "We plan to meet with Manchester United after the season ends," expressing the intention to continue with Antony.

Aro explained, "The acquisition of Antony was suggested by the sports director. Since Manchester United covered almost the entire salary, it was a very cheap loan. The player wanted to come to Betis. Because it was a pure loan, there was no transfer option."

He added, "Acquiring Antony permanently is really difficult. We will meet with Manchester United to discuss a one-year loan extension. We are also considering some salary-sharing options. This depends on the will of both Manchester United and the player."

Furthermore, he noted, "Acquiring Antony permanently is very complicated. Manchester United must first show their willingness, and then comes the player's intention. Everything can only be decided after the season ends. There is still a long way to go," while adding a realistic concern, "Moreover, Antony is focused on the trophy."

Antony was acquired by Manchester United for a whopping 100 million euros (approximately 157.9 billion won) in the summer of 2022 under coach Erik ten Hag. However, he fell short of expectations with 12 goals and 5 assists in 96 matches, turning into a flop. He also did not gain the trust of the new coach, Rúben Amorim.

However, Antony is showing a completely different side at Real Betis. In a recent interview, he stated, "Various experiences in my life outside of football have had a great impact. That's why I couldn't fully show my potential."

He continued, "After returning from the World Cup, and the fact that I transferred for a large sum, were all reasons for my situation. I know my value well," adding, "People judge only based on my current form, but they do not see what happened behind it. Of course, there were good moments at Manchester United and bad moments, but I could have done better."

Currently, Real Betis is ranked 6th in La Liga (57 points) and is in fierce competition with 5th place Villarreal (58 points) for a Champions League spot. Antony's performance has become even more crucial in the remaining four matches.

Antony commented on his future, saying, "It's still too early. I don't know what will happen. But I'm very happy here at the moment," adding, "I'm enjoying football again. I know I have talent, but I first thought about going to a place where I would be happy. There were better offers, but I chose Betis."

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