12Views
Real Betis midfielder Isco has joked about getting fans to crowdfund to pay for Manchester United loanee Antony who joined Betis in the January transfer window.
Antony moved to Betis on loan from Man Utd in January and has been a revelation for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, finally proving his worth after leaving Ajax.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Speaking after Real Betis’ recent match, Isco said: “We need to start crowdfunding to afford Antony’s buyout.”
He added: “The end of the season is coming now. We did not reach achievements we deserved this year. The team deserves great applause – after a lot of problems and obstacles, to return to the Champions League is commendable.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Betis are cuttently in sixth in La Liga this season, 6 points behind Athletic Bilbao who is the last team currently in place for qualifying for next year’s Champions League. Their success has been partly attributed to Antony’s impressive performances since joining on loan.
Speaking about his future, Antony said: “I’m calm. I cannot think too far ahead when there is a crucial period coming up. I want to focus and help Betis. I’m 25 years old and I’m living an important moment in my football career.”
Last month, both Isco and Pellegrini won, respectively, the player and coach of the month in La Liga, showcasing the great form that the team is in.
WHAT NEXT?
Betis’ director of football, Antonio Cordon, has indicated that the club will not rush into a decision about Antony’s future. He stated: “We’ll see what happens with Antony. We’ll have to adjust a lot of pieces of the puzzle, not just sign players.”
Regarding other potential signings, Cordon added: “We are working with each [our own] timescales. We cannot say what we will do with all the loanees.”
With Betis qualifying for the Champions League, decisions about player acquisitions, including Antony’s potential permanent move, will likely be made after careful consideration of the club’s financial situation and squad needs for the upcoming season.
Betis has 9 more league matches to play this season, including with Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid. The Spanish team is also playing the Conference League as they are favourites to advance to the semis after playing with Jagiellonia from Poland for the quarter finals.
