Antony could have ended up at FC Bayern last summer. The German record champions were actively pursuing the Brazilian, who was still under contract with Manchester United at the time. The 26-year-old has now confirmed just how serious that interest actually was: Vincent Kompany personally picked up the phone to convince him to make the move to Munich.
In an interview with Sport BILD, Antony looked back on his contact with the Bayern coach and made it clear what an impression the courtship had made on him.
“That was, of course, a great honor. I have a lot of respect for Bayern Munich and also for Vincent Kompany. He’s a coach I really admire. When a club like Bayern shows interest and the coach calls you personally, it means a lot to a player,” said Antony.
However, the move did not materialize. Instead of Munich, the winger opted for Betis Sevilla. Antony had previously played for the Spanish club on loan and had regained his form there after difficult years at Manchester United.
Antony explains his decision to turn down Bayern
According to Antony, the fact that he didn’t join FC Bayern despite Kompany’s personal efforts was primarily due to personal reasons.
“That was a decision I made together with my family. I was going through a difficult phase in my life at the time and needed a place where I could be happy again—not just as a soccer player, but as a person. I felt that Betis was exactly the right club for me. That’s why I don’t regret this decision at all.”
The Brazilian thus consciously chose an environment he was already familiar with. After his difficult time in Manchester, it was apparently more important to him to regain stability and rediscover his joy in soccer than to take the next step to a European powerhouse.
From Bayern’s perspective, however, Kompany’s personal phone call shows just how seriously the Munich club had been considering Antony. The Belgian himself tried to convince the attacking player to make the move to the Isar.
Bayern found the right solution in Diaz
Ultimately, the fact that the Antony transfer didn’t materialize didn’t prove to be a major problem for Bayern. The Munich club signed Luis Diaz to play on the left wing.
The Colombian made an immediate impact in Munich and developed into one of the most important attacking players under Kompany. In his first season with the record champions, Diaz scored 30 goals across all competitions, playing a major role in Bayern’s successful campaign.
Antony, too, is likely satisfied with the decision he made back then. He rediscovered his form at Betis and helped the Spanish club qualify for the Champions League. As a result, the 26-year-old is also competing on Europe’s biggest club stage this season.
Antony therefore has no regrets to this day about turning down Bayern. Nevertheless, he still has fond memories of Kompany’s phone call. At the same time, his statement confirms in hindsight that the Brazilian was far more than just a passing thought for FC Bayern last summer.