10 Players Who Rejected Liverpool
With these players, it could have been their year...
Liverpool are one of the most successful clubs ever in England. They've won the biggest competitions multiple times and are just behind Manchester United in terms of major trophies, although maybe don't remind Kopites that eh?!
With 18 league titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, three Uefa Cups and five European Cups to their name (for now), and a fanatical fanbase that adore every player who steps foot on the hallowed Anfield turf (yes, even you Djimi Traore), it seems implausible that a player could turn down the Reds. Who wouldn't want to pull on the same shirt that the likes of Rush, Hansen, Barnes, Dalglish, Gerrard, and of course Sean Dundee, have worn in the past?!
Nevertheless, there are those who choose to shun Liverpool in spite of their history in favour of bigger clubs (their words not mine), better opportunities (their words not mine) or boatloads more money (my words not theirs).
The 'THIS IS OUR YEAR!' mantra that Liverpool fans say to themselves at the start of every single season may have actually been the case had they not missed out on some of these world class names.
10. Cristiano Ronaldo
A huge name, but high on this list because Liverpool sort of brought it on themselves to be fair.
The Portuguese winger impressed many during his formative years at Sporting Lisbon and, in 2003, then Reds manager Gerard Houllier spotted him in the Toulon Under-21 tournament and was determined to bring him to Anfield.
However, the then 18-year-old Ronaldo refused to budge on his salary demands which were deemed too high for Liverpool's strict wage structure.
As the Reds were weighing up signing a wonderkid but upsetting their dressing room, Manchester United played a friendly against Sporting Lisbon. Cristiano Ronaldo dazzled, and mugged off several United players who (instead of being upset) insisted Fergie sign him.
The rest is history. United accepted his demands and before Liverpool knew it he'd moved to Old Trafford. Cristiano Ronaldo excelled at United and has gone on to become one of the games greatest ever players. Liverpool signed Harry Kewell instead.