Man United flop Anthony reveals he turned down Bayern Munich

Manchester United flop Anthony has revealed that he turned down a move to the reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window due to the need for him to prioritise his family.

Anthony had a torrid time playing for United, but looked to have revived his career after a season-long loan spell with Spanish La Liga giants Real Betis -a move that was eventually made permanent in September.

Despite a dismal spell at Manchester United that saw him branded one of the club’s worst-ever signings, the Brazilian midfielder still managed to catch the eye of Vincent Kompany’s Bayern.

Bayern lost Leroy Sane to Galatasaray and Kingsley Coman to Al-Nassr in the summer, leaving a new winger high on the club’s recruitment wishlist.

Antony’s explosive 14 goals and assists in 26 appearances for Betis caught Kompany’s eye so strongly that the Bayern boss personally called him—a move that left the winger stunned.

“I’m going to be completely honest. It really shook me up,” Antony told Globo Esporte during an interview which addressed the Bayern interest.

“We’re talking about a global giant, Bayern Munich, where a coach with that kind of history, Kompany, calls me. And we have a conversation there, he was super polite to me, said he always really liked my football, and this was at 11pm, a little after 11.

“Whether I wanted to or not, it really affected me. Because of the greatness of the club, the greatness of the coach, and the way he approached me, the way he talked to me.”

Antony ended 2024 on a high, welcoming a baby daughter with fiancee Rosilene Silva—whom he proposed to soon after—while already a proud dad to five-year-old son Lorenzo.

The family moved to Spain when Manchester United agreed a short-term deal with Betis, and they quickly fell in love with the city of Seville and a new life in southern Spain.

Everything was crystal clear from an early stage that the 25-year-old wanted to return to Betis when the initial loan ended.

Yet for months, the deal hung in the balance, with Betis fearing the finances would price them out of keeping him – shutting out a potential move to the Alianz Arena.

“What weighed heavily on my decision was also my family,” Antony added.

“It’s about looking out for my children. Lorenzo loves this place, loves this city [Seville]. When we were on vacation in Brazil, without knowing anything, he always asked: ‘Dad, when are we going back to Spain?'”