Real Betis sporting director Manu Fajardo has warned Manchester United that they will not pay a "crazy" amount to sign Antony, potentially jeopardising the future of the club.
Betis took a chance on Antony during the second half of last season, signing the Brazilian winger on loan after a miserable two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, and their faith was immediately repaid with a return of nine goals and five assists.
The loan deal did not include the option for a permanent transfer, but United are desperate to sell and are thought to be looking for a fee around £35 million ($48 million). Such a figure has so far proven to be too high for Betis.
With negotiations ongoing behind the scenes, Antony is reported to have rebuffed approaches in favour of giving his priority to Betis, but Fajardo has confessed there is no guarantee a deal will be agreed.
“We all have to be aware that it’s a very complex operation,” he said. “Given the player’s level, and his most recent career at Real Betis, it’s not an easy operation.
“Despite being a complex operation, we will try to carry it out in different ways without mortgaging the club. In the end, the most important thing is also the sustainability of the entity. We will try to be creative, as we have been in the past, so that Antony can be here. Today the market is open, as I said before, it’s very dynamic and we are part of that game.”
Club president Ángel Haro also warned United that Betis will not “go crazy” in their quest to bring Antony back to the club.
“We have to maintain the same financial rigour we’ve had up until now,” Haro added. “Sporting sustainability is very important to us, of course, but also economic sustainability.
“We won’t go crazy; we’ll have a similar squad expenditure, perhaps a little higher than last year, and we’ll be able to make some high-profile signings. But yes, something that has characterised Betis in recent years is that we sell well, and we also buy well, and at affordable prices.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd's Bid to Sell Antony Threatened by ‘Crazy’ Remark.
