Antony says he was almost a Liverpool player before joining Manchester United
Antony signed for Man Utd from Ajax in September 2022 for a reported £86million transfer fee, but struggled for consistency throughout his time at Old Trafford.
Following a successful loan spell during the second half of last season, the Brazilian made the permanent switch to Real Betis in the summer for £21.65m, representing a significant loss for the Red Devils.
However, in a startling revelation, Antony says he almost joined Liverpool prior to make his big-money move to Man United.
Speaking to ESPN Brazil, he said: “Before closing with United, I was very close to Liverpool. But the path was meant to be what it was.”
Antony has been extremely critical of his former club since his departure to Spain, citing a lack of respect during the summer as part of Ruben Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’.
“I reported back on July 14 and trained separately for more than a month. It was very complicated,” he added.
“For more than 40 days we stayed in hotels. Me and my father were there, waiting. I trained at five in the afternoon while the group trained in the morning.
“I felt there was a lack of respect, even a lack of education. Nobody said good morning or good afternoon. Not even that.
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“It was a moment to test myself, to believe. I knew that something good would happen, even if doubts crossed my mind.”
Despite this, the winger - who scored and claimed an assist for Real Betis against Nottingham Forest last month - insists he does not regret his time at Man Utd.
He said: “Maybe if I had exploded right away, I might have lost myself later. It was necessary to go through that process. Today I feel like a better man, a better father.”