Brazilian winger Antony has made a stunning revelation about rejecting a dramatic deadline-day approach from Bayern Munich and their new manager Vincent Kompany to complete his permanent transfer to Real Betis instead.
The Deadline Day Drama
Antony confirmed that Kompany personally called him around 11 PM on transfer deadline day in a last-ditch attempt to convince him to join the Bundesliga giants. The 25-year-old admitted the approach "really shook" him given Bayern's global stature and Kompany's impressive managerial reputation.
"Vincent Kompany called me and we had a conversation," Antony told Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte. "He was very polite with me, told me he had always liked my football a lot. Want it or not, it affected me a lot because of the greatness of the club, the greatness of the coach and the way he addressed me."
Family Comes First
Despite the allure of joining Harry Kane and company at one of Europe's elite clubs, Antony prioritised his family's happiness over the prestigious move. The Brazilian international explained that his son Lorenzo's attachment to Sevilla played a crucial role in his decision-making process.
"What weighed most in my decision was that I am a family man," Antony revealed. "It's about looking after my children. Lorenzo loves this place, he loves this city. When we were on holiday in Brazil, without knowing anything, he kept asking: 'Dad, when are we going back to Spain?'"
From United Flop to Betis Favourite
Antony's Manchester United career will be remembered as one of the club's most expensive failures, having scored just 12 goals in 96 appearances across three seasons at Old Trafford. The £86 million signing from Ajax in 2023 became part of what became known as the 'bomb squad' under manager Rubén Amorim, training separately alongside Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho.
His January loan move to Real Betis last season proved transformative, with the Brazilian scoring nine goals in 26 matches under Manuel Pellegrini. This successful spell made him a firm fan favourite and convinced the Spanish club to make the move permanent for just £21.6 million - less than a quarter of what United paid for him.
This season has continued his resurgence, with six goals and two assists in eleven appearances across all competitions, demonstrating the form that originally prompted United's massive investment.
Despite his difficult departure from Manchester, Antony insists he bears no ill will towards his former club. "I don't hold any grudges, I'm not angry with anyone there," he said. "This serves me as great learning. I'm also very grateful to Manchester United because I didn't only live bad moments, I also had good moments there."
