Former Manchester United forward Antony has claimed he turned down a move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
The Brazilian forward said he had already committed to Real Betis when Bayern approached, and he wanted to keep his word.
Man Utd Swallow £60m Loss as Antony Joins Real Betis
After summer-long negotiations, Antony found a way out of Manchester United. LaLiga side Real Betis emerged as his saviour, as they completed a £21.6 million deal for the player. Betis have agreed to pay £19 million up front and the remaining £2.6 million in bonuses. Man Utd, who are 7/2 with UK betting sites to secure a top four finish, have inserted a 50% sell-on clause in his contract.
Ladies & Gentlemen,
The Antony spin 🔄 pic.twitter.com/qtwfOWpUbE
— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) September 2, 2025
The clause could very well pay off for the Red Devils, but for now, they have to live with the massive loss they have suffered. Man United bought Antony for £81.3 million from Ajax in August 2022. Leading up to his departure, he played 96 games for United in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists.
The only silver lining for Man United is the wages they would save. Antony was on a £6 million/year contract at United, and they managed to send him off without paying any of the money remaining on his contract.
Antony Says He Rejected Bayern Munich
Manchester United spent most of the summer transfer window looking for suitors for Antony. However, except for Real Betis, there was not much interest from other top clubs.
In an interview, Antony suggested otherwise. He said six-time European champions Bayern Munich tabled a big offer to sign him.
Antony said (translated from Portuguese to English):
“Yes, I did speak with Bayern Munich the day before everything was finalised. I don’t know if the figure being reported was €7 million. I didn’t discuss that with anyone.
“When I spoke with Bayern, I told them clearly that I had already given my word to Betis. The deal was 95% done, and I wanted to honour that commitment.“
Antony: “I spoke to Bayern Munich the day before everything was almost done with Betis (95%). I was offered €7M net per year. But I rejected Bayern & told them I gave my word to Betis. And I’ll stick to my word. Out of respect, affection & knowing that I’m happy here. I feel calm making this choice”
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He continued:
“Out of respect, affection, and because I am genuinely happy here, I decided to stay. I gave my word, and I intend to keep it. I feel very calm and at peace with that decision.
“With all due respect to Bayern Munich, who are among the top three clubs in the world, I didn’t want to go back on what I had promised. I don’t know what the future holds, but I am confident I made the right choice.“
Antony, who insulted Manchester after his Betis switch, enjoyed a stellar loan spell in Spain earlier this year. Joining Betis on loan in January, Antony played 26 games for the club in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing five assists.
He helped the team reach the Conference League final and was visibly upset when Chelsea took the win over the Andalusian outfit.
