Real Betis chief executive Ramon Alarcon has said he is "cautiously optimistic" that Antony will continue at the club beyond this summer.

Antony, 25, has been a big hit in Spain following his loan move from Manchester United, where he endured a difficult first half of the season.

However, the loan deal which took the Brazil winger to Betis in January did not include an option for the Spanish club to automatically make his stay permanent this summer.

However, Alarcon told Canal Sur: "When we spoke about the possibility to bring Antony in January, I saw it more distant than I see now him staying. It's because both Manchester United and the player have seen that Real Betis is a great place for the player to develop. Right now I'm more optimistic than in January."

Even so, Alarcon said he knows it will not be an easy operation to retain the player, who joined United in an 85 million ($108m) transfer from Ajax in 2022.

Antony has a contract with United until June 2027.

"It's going to be difficult because he is a player owned by Manchester with financial conditions that are what they are," Alarcon said of Antony. "I am cautiously optimistic."

Alarcon said that Antony staying at Betis next season in a loan capacity would benefit United.

"There is a World Cup in 2026, the player wants to play to go to the World Cup and Manchester [United] want the player's value to increase," he said.

At United, Antony scored only 12 goals in 96 appearances. He has scored four goals and set up four more in 13 appearances for Betis.

Antony has not played for the national team since 2023 and has just two goals in 16 appearances.

Meanwhile, Antony has adapted well to Betis and LaLiga, saying in February that he is "found himself" at the club.

Betis are sixth in LaLiga and host Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok in Thursday's Conference League quarterfinal first leg.