Liverpool may have narrowly avoided a significant misstep, with reports emerging that Jurgen Klopp once considered Antony as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, Soccernet.football understands.
According to TheTimes, the Liverpool boss had identified Antony as a transfer target in 2022, during a period of uncertainty surrounding Salah’s future.
At the time, Salah’s contract was set to expire in 2023, prompting the Reds to explore alternatives for their talismanic forward.
However, Liverpool fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as Salah eventually signed a three-year contract extension in July 2022, tying him to the club until 2025.
Meanwhile, Antony joined Manchester United that summer in an £85 million deal, but his performances have fallen far short of expectations.
Since joining United, the Brazilian winger has registered just 12 goals and five assists in 87 appearances. In stark contrast, Salah has proven his value once again, contributing a staggering 65 goals and 40 assists in 112 games for Liverpool during the same period.
However, Liverpool now face a similar dilemma regarding Salah’s future, as his contract runs down. The 32-year-old is off to a blistering start this season, with 10 goals and 10 assists already, yet he has kept his plans for the future under wraps.
Salah isn’t the only concern for Liverpool, with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also in the final months of their contracts.
Van Dijk has expressed a desire to remain at Anfield, saying in September, “Discussions are ongoing… but my focus is on Liverpool.”
Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has chosen to keep negotiations private, while Salah has offered little insight into his next move.