Football fans are the most prolific creators of alternate universes this side of the Large Hadron Collider (that's what that thing does, right?). With every rumour, every missed chance, every poor decision that could easily have been changed, us chattering armchair managers imagine a better world. Another, better match where that goal wasn't disallowed. A change of manager to sorted us out and brought us the cup glory we've been dreaming of since we were kids. A transfer rumour that actually comes good, and gives us the boost the team needs. With the amount of hearsay that floats around on transfer deadline day on Sky Sports News, tabloid back pages and now Twitter, there are endless alternate universes where your team has a totally different starting eleven than the one you're throwing your support around at the minute. And has there been any other team in the beautiful game's history that's been party to as many signing rumours as Liverpool? We'll never walk alone, of course, but we'll also never walk with the dozens upon dozens of players who, a source close to the club told somebody who told somebody who sold the info to the Sun for a few hundred quid, didn't end up playing beneath the auspicious of the Liver bird. And some of those rumoured near-signings might surprise you - there are strikers who failed medicals, goalies who didn't fancy the change of scenery, midfielders who (somehow) got better offers. Here are ten players you didn't know we almost signed.