Manchester United’s plans to sell Antony permanently this summer have been handed a huge blow as reports claim the Brazil winger is refusing to entertain offers from clubs other than Real Betis.
Antony dazzled with Betis on loan during the second half of last season, leaving United confident of raising around £30 million ($39.8 million) through his sale this summer—funds they need after the expensive acquisitions of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
United have been hopeful of raising significant sums this window through the sales of their fringe players. Marcus Rashford was among the players available for transfer, but his determination to wait for Barcelona ultimately helped the Blaugrana secure a loan deal with the option to make the move permanent.
According to SPORT, Antony is now taking a similar stance, refusing offers from clubs across the globe and making it clear he is only interested in talking with Betis.
Lucrative approaches from Saudi Arabia have been knocked back by Antony, leaving United faced with the prospect of having to give into his demands and negotiate with Betis.
The La Liga side have long been clear that they will not meet United’s financial demands, however. ABC state Betis’ plan is to wait until late in the window to negotiate what will ultimately be another loan deal.
Failing to offload Antony, having already accepted defeat in their bid to sell Rashford, would represent a significant blow to United’s finances and could have a huge impact on future transfer plans.
United face a nervous wait to find out whether they will be able to sell a number of fringe players. Jadon Sancho has seen talks over a move to Juventus stall, while Chelsea are only expected to pursue Alejandro Garnacho late in the window once they have sold a number of players.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: Man Utd Rocked by Antony Transfer Demand.