The agent of Manchester United winger Antony has disclosed that Liverpool showed interest in signing the Brazilian international before Mohamed Salah extended his contract in 2022. At the time, Liverpool was exploring potential alternatives to Salah amid uncertainty over his future with the club.
Salah is now approaching the stage where he can engage in pre-contract discussions with foreign clubs, as his current deal edges closer to expiration. Alongside him, Liverpool faces contract situations with key players Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are also in the final months of their agreements, creating further complexities for the club.
In a recent *The Times* report, it was revealed that Antony was one of the players Liverpool had shortlisted two years ago during Salah’s contract uncertainty. Antony, who moved from Ajax to Manchester United in the summer of 2022 for £81.3 million, has struggled to replicate the form that earned him the high-profile transfer.
The interest from Liverpool was confirmed by Antony’s agent, Junior Pedroso, during an interview with *winwin.com*. He stated, “Yes, this story has a basis in truth. No (negotiations stopped as), Salah renewed his contract at the time with Liverpool, and that made Antony’s move to Liverpool impossible.” Salah ultimately committed to Liverpool by signing a record-breaking contract extension in June 2022 while vacationing in Mykonos, Greece.
Since his renewal, Salah has maintained his exceptional form, scoring 65 goals for Liverpool, including 27 in the Premier League. The Egyptian international has been instrumental for the club, and under new manager Arne Slot this season, he has already scored 10 goals across all competitions. This has brought Salah’s total tally for Liverpool to an impressive 221 goals since his transfer from Roma in 2017.
Antony, however, has faced a difficult time since joining Manchester United. The 24-year-old has managed only five goals and three assists in 56 Premier League appearances. His contributions this season have been minimal, with just two appearances for a Manchester United side struggling for form. The team’s poor performances recently led to the sacking of Erik ten Hag, with Ruben Amorim brought in as his replacement.
While Salah has thrived and continued to cement his legacy at Liverpool, Antony’s move to Manchester United has not yet lived up to its expectations, highlighting the contrasting fortunes of the two players since 2022.
