Antony reflects on Liverpool near-miss before Man Utd move

At the time, Salah's future at Anfield was uncertain, with just one year remaining on his contract, prompting Liverpool to explore alternative attacking options. Speaking in an interview with Kooora, Antony admitted that discussions with Liverpool were well advanced before Salah committed to a new long-term deal.

"I was very close to signing for Liverpool, but you never know what would have happened. In the end, I went to Manchester and had great moments there, and that was a good choice as well," he explained.

Instead of heading to Anfield, Antony reunited with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag at United in an £86 million transfer—a move that ultimately failed to live up to expectations.

After two and a half frustrating seasons at Old Trafford, Antony joined Real Betis on loan in January, where he has made an impressive start. The 25-year-old has contributed three goals and two assists in his first six appearances for the La Liga side, looking to rebuild his career away from the Premier League spotlight.

Despite missing out on a Liverpool move, Antony remains full of admiration for Salah, describing him as "an amazing player who has been doing great things for a long time".