Man United 'propose' Antony swap deal as Real Betis face tough transfer decision

Antony is expected to return to Manchester United when his loan spell at Real Betis ends at the conclusion of the season

Manchester United are reportedly considering using Antony in a player swap deal, should they reach an agreement with Real Betis.

Antony is coming to the end of his loan spell at the La Liga side and will return to Old Trafford in the summer. Betis do not have an option to make his move permanent, but United could be open to parting ways with the Brazilian winger after his struggling in Manchester.

Since arriving at Old Trafford from Ajax in 2022, Antony has scored just 12 goals and provided five assists in 96 appearances in a Reds shirt. However, his move to Spain, so far looks to have paid off.

Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini has been pleased with the winger’s contributions and has admitted he’d like Antony to stay at the club. "I see Antony very involved in the team, in the group, in the institution," Pellegrini said. "We would all be happy if he stayed, but now we have to focus on the present."

A report from Football365 claims that United have 'asked' for one of Antony’s teammates as part of a potential player swap deal. It United have 'proposed' a swap deal in order to bring in 19-year-old winger Jesus Rodriguez to Old Trafford.

The Betis academy product broke into the first team this season, making his debut in a 2-0 defeat to Real Sociedad in December. Since then, he has started 11 La Liga matches and has featured regularly in the Conference League.

Given the youngster is seen as a future prospect, it remains to be seen whether Betis would be willing to sacrifice Rodriguez to sign Antony permanently. Pellegrini has already made it clear that he hopes to count on the rising star for many more seasons.

Reports in Spain earlier this month claimed that Betis were looking to offer Rodriguez a new contract, increasing both his release clause and salary.

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