6 Players You Didn't Know Juventus Almost Signed

6. Xabi Alonso

In 2008, after four years at Liverpool, the Spaniard was linked with a move to the Old Lady. Rafael Benitez and Liverpool were apparently keen to move the former Real Sociedad midfielder on, with a replacement already in mind; Aston Villa captain, Gareth Barry. 

The move eventually fell through after Juventus moved for Sevilla's Christian Poulsen instead, with then manager Claudio Ranieri revealing that he thought Alonso would be simply 'too slow' for the Turin midfield. Alonso thanked the Serie A club for their honesty and quickly moved on, continuing to play a key part in the Reds' midfield.

Xabi spent another year at the Merseyside club before sealing a transfer to Real Madrid, for a reported £30 million, where he earned a new nickname, La Barba Roja (The Red Beard).