Antony has confirmed that he was ‘shook up’ in the summer transfer window following a discussion with the head coach of a European giant.
Manchester United spent £82m to bring Antony from Ajax to Old Trafford back in September of 2022. He was Erik ten Hag’s fifth signing, and the third brought over from the Eredivisie by the head coach. The Brazilian winger signed a five-year contract but would only play for three years in Manchester.
Antony was 22 when he arrived at United and brought bags of potential and high expectations due to his lofty price tag. Having already been coached under Erik ten Hag, it seemed like an exciting move all round, even if his price tag was somewhat overpriced.
The tricky-winger got off to the dream start, scoring 35 minutes into his debut against Premier League rivals Arsenal in a 3-1 victory for the Red Devils. However, this could be seen as the peak of his career at United, as inconsistent performances and controversies for the Brazilian plagued the next two seasons.
Ruben Amorim’s replacement of Ten Hag seemingly sealed Antony’s fate. After only scoring five goals in the Prem, he was mainly used off the bench by the Portuguese coach. He was loaned out for six months during the January transfer window last season to Spanish side Real Betis. Antony reignited his career, scoring nine goals and providing five assists in 25 games.
This summer, he received interest from several clubs in Europe and the Saudi league, but ultimately, he pledged his loyalty to Betis after the chance they gave him. However, the 25-year-old has revealed he was shocked to learn which European giant was interested in signing him.
Antony was ‘shook’ after a conversation with Vincent Kompany
Antony has carried on his fine form from the end of last season, finding the net four times in eight games for Betis. He has gone on record to say his loan and current spell at the Spanish side is ‘one of the most beautiful chapters in his life’. But it is a chapter that could have been rewritten if he had chosen another club in the summer.
Recently speaking with Globo Esporte on the interest shown by Vincent Kompany and Bayern Munich, Antony said: “Dude, I’m going to be completely honest with you right now, it really shook me up. We’re talking about a global giant, Bayern Munich, where there is a coach with that kind of history.
“Vincent Kompany called me and we had a conversation. He was super polite to me, said he always really liked my football, and this was at 11 pm [on deadline day], a little after 11 pm.”
However, this did not deter Anotny for numerous reasons, although he thought the ‘greatness’ of the club was a huge attraction to the German outfit. While United eventually agreed on a fee with Betis that included a 50% sell-on clause, Amorim may have preferred Antony to go to Bayern, who would have likely paid a higher transfer fee.
Spanish legend Isco played a role in convincing Antony to join Betis permanently, as Antony explained, “When I was in England, He would text me a lot when I was in England, saying: ‘Hey, Antony, are you coming or not?’
“He is a great player and not only a great player, but also a great person. He welcomed me very well and we get along perfectly on and off the field.”
Antony’s frustration towards the ‘complicated’ ending to his United career
When speaking to the Spanish radio station Onda Cero, Antony went on record to say he was ‘disrespected’ by United after being shunned from the squad.
When asked to expand on this claim, Antony said: “When I say I felt disrespected, it was also by some people who aren’t relevant here [not just Amorim]. I think I’m a guy who doesn’t like to be involved in controversy, doesn’t like to mention names or anything, but it was a little difficult.
“I didn’t do pre-season training, and I had to report to another club. Thank God, I’ve always taken good care of myself, so I managed to arrive here [at Betis] in good shape for the first game to play the full 90 minutes. It had been three or four months since my previous game.”
It must be noted that Antony says he holds ‘no anger’ towards his Manchester United career, with the Brazilian winger solely looking towards the future. He has become a fan favourite amongst Betis fans in a ‘what-could-have-been’ story for United fans.
For the most part, Antony was not suited to the English game, but there is little doubt he will have a career that flourishes at other European clubs. However, his spell at Old Trafford was a gamble that didn’t pay off.
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