Antony's Liverpool Bid and Salah Succession Plan Revealed

Antony’s Manchester United story has long been framed as an Erik ten Hag reunion that never truly caught fire. Now the Brazilian has added a sharp twist to the tale: he says he could have walked into Anfield as Liverpool’s potential heir to Mohamed Salah instead.

The winger, now thriving at Real Betis, has opened up on the summer of 2022 and the tug-of-war that took him from Ajax to Old Trafford. Speaking to ESPN Brazil, Antony claimed Liverpool, led by Jurgen Klopp, put a concrete proposal on the table while Salah’s future hung in the balance.

“When I went to Manchester United, I had a proposal from Liverpool, from Klopp, on the table,” he said. “It was also very good. Salah was negotiating a departure, but he ended up staying. Then the manager called me. The name of Manchester United carries weight.”

In that moment, the picture around him was very different. Salah was locked in contract talks, his long-term future uncertain, and Liverpool were bracing for the worst. According to Antony, they were already lining up contingencies, with the Brazilian among the leading candidates if their Egyptian talisman walked away.

The pressure finally eased for Liverpool when Salah stayed. He signed fresh terms, remained the centrepiece of Klopp’s attack and carried on rewriting club history. Antony, instead, chose to follow Ten Hag to United in a deal worth around £82 million, a fee that instantly made him one of the most scrutinised signings in the Premier League.

Viewed in hindsight, the fork in the road is striking. Salah stayed on Merseyside for another four years, adding another Premier League title to his haul and finishing with 257 goals in 442 appearances in all competitions. He remained the defining figure of Liverpool’s modern era, even if this season’s return of 12 goals in 41 games marked a clear dip from his usual standards.

Antony’s path went the other way. The expectation that came with that price tag never quite matched what he delivered in a United shirt. Flashes of quality, yes, but never the sustained impact to justify the investment or silence the debate. Last summer, he left Old Trafford on a permanent deal, his time in Manchester ending with more questions than answers.

At Betis, though, the narrative has shifted. Antony has put together one of the best campaigns of his career, with 14 goals and 10 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions. The numbers have rebuilt his reputation and reminded Europe why clubs like Liverpool and United fought for him in the first place.

Away from the pitch, he still carries scars from his Premier League spell. Reflecting on his time at United, Antony spoke of a cold atmosphere behind the scenes.

“Look, I'm not the kind of guy who gets involved in controversies, who names people, in fact, I won't mention anyone's name here,” he told ESPN Brazil. “But I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, even a bit of rudeness too, with no one giving you a good morning, a good afternoon.

“Not even that. But, anyway, that's in the past, I won't give much importance to these things. Now I'm here, at Betis, I'm living here, that's the most important thing for me.”

The what-ifs will linger. What if Salah had gone and Antony had stepped into his space at Anfield? What if United’s record outlay had been met with the same freedom and end product he is now showing in Spain?

For now, Salah’s legend at Liverpool is written in full, and Antony is busy rebuilding his own story under the sun in Seville.