Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that it will not be easy for his club to sign Manchester United winger Antony in the summer - but he refused to rule out a deal.

The Brazilian endured a difficult spell at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag and he was given the green light to leave on loan in January by Ruben Amorim. After moving to Seville, Antony took the opportunity to reboot his career in Spain and has flourished under the management of Pellegrini.

In 12 appearances for the La Liga club, the 25-year-old has scored four goals and grabbed four assists leading him to become a fan favourite. After beating Sevilla in the derby, Antony led the celebrations and his teammate Isco joked that Real Betis will need to set up a crowdfunding campaign to keep the United man in Spain.

However, following the comment from Isco, Pellegrini took a more realistic stance on signing the winger. "We've all seen what Antony has done here with the team, and I hope he can stay, although we know it won't be easy," the 71-year-old said.

"He's fitted in very well with the team's collective play and has had important individual performances. I think the important thing now for Antony and everyone else is to focus on winning the next three points and trying to achieve a bigger goal, which of course would perhaps change the club's financial situation, playing in the Champions League or reaching higher levels in European competitions.