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Antony Betis love affair GFXGetty/GOAL

From crowdfunding to kidnapping! Why Real Betis are so desperate to hold onto Man Utd outcast Antony

Old Trafford has become something of a graveyard for exciting young talents in recent years - but plenty of players have been reborn after leaving Manchester United.

To name but three examples, Angel Gomes is expected to return to the Premier League this summer after breaking into the England squad during a very successful stint in France with Lille, Anthony Elanga has just helped Nottingham Forest qualify for continental competition for the first time in nearly two decades, while Scott McTominay is the new icon of the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona thanks to his MVP-winning heroics during Napoli's 2024-25 Serie A triumph.

However, Antony's revival ranks as the most surprising of all. Indeed, a nightmare spell at the 'Theatre of Dreams' appeared to have killed off any hope the Brazilian ever had of playing for another top European club. Now, though, he's back in the Brazil squad for the first time in two years and attracting interest from across the continent after resurrecting his career at Real Betis...

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