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Former Manchester United winger Antony has revealed that he nearly signed for Liverpool before his blockbuster move to Old Trafford in 2022.
The Brazilian arrived at Manchester United from Ajax in a deal worth around £85million, re-uniting with Erik ten Hag after establishing himself as one of the most exciting young attackers in the Eredivisie.
However, things could have turned out very differently had another Premier League giant won the race for his signature.
Speaking on Podpah, Antony admitted that Liverpool were one of the clubs tracking him closely during his time in the Netherlands.
Antony said: “There were, man, there were from England too. I think it’s worth mentioning at least one right; there was Liverpool at the time, which was Klopp’s team. Yeah, I think that is worth mentioning.”
This will undoubtedly interest Liverpool fans. In 2022, Liverpool were coming off the back of a remarkable campaign that saw them lift both domestic cups but narrowly miss out on the Premier League and Champions League titles.
Antony was one of the most sought-after wingers in European football at the time. Having impressed under Ten Hag at Ajax, he was a hugely important player for the club as he helped them dominate domestically and compete in Europe.
Ultimately, Antony decided to head to Manchester United, where expectations were enormous given the significant transfer fee.
Whilst flashes of his talent were clear, Antony struggled to consistently justify his price-tag and found himself facing criticism during his time at Old Trafford.
His fortunes have improved since leaving Manchester United for La Liga side Real Betis, where he has rediscovered some of the form that made him such a sought-after player in the first place.
With Klopp’s side renowned for developing attacking talent and maximising the strengths of their forwards, the Brazilian’s career trajectory may have taken a very different path had he opted for a switch to Merseyside.
Instead, Antony became a Manchester United player, but his latest admission confirms that Anfield was once a genuine possibility.