'Antony’s arrival is exciting' - Real Betis chief thrilled to land £85m flop from Man Utd after sealing loan deal

Real Betis sporting director Manu Fajardo has revealed the club are hugely "excited" by the arrival of Antony from Manchester United.

• Antony joins Betis on loan
• Flopped at Manchester United
• Betis talk up Brazilian

WHAT HAPPENED?

Antony has joined Betis on loan from United, bringing to an end a dire spell at Old Trafford for the time being. The winger was signed for a staggering £86 million ($107m) but could only muster 17 goal contributions in 96 appearances.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Now, having left in a bid to revive what has become an ailing career, the Spanish club have insisted they believe the 24-year-old can make a significant impact. They currently sit ninth in La Liga, and are just two points behind sixth-placed Mallorca; a sixth-placed finish would seal qualification to the Conference League.

WHAT FAJARDO SAID

Fajardo told Marca: "Antony’s arrival is exciting. From the sporting management and the coaching staff, we understood that we had to improve the second line of attack. Antony is already with us, but we must not individualise any player. For the team to achieve its objectives, both Antony and the rest of the players will have to take a step forward and demonstrate on a daily basis, from the maximum involvement and talent, to meet the objective one more year."

WHAT NEXT?

Betis face Athletic Club on Sunday. It is unclear if Antony will be in the squad but he could make his debut if selected.