10 Players Relieved They Didn't Sign For Liverpool
6. Alan Shearer
''Into Freddy Shepherds office I marched to make the following momentous announcement: Ive just had Gerard Houllier on the phone from Liverpool, manager to manager, and he has offered me three million pounds for Alan Shearer. Oh yeah, Ive known of their interest for a couple of weeks, he said. We cant sell Alan Shearer. Hes the crown jewels. The public would go mad. He was right of course. Fine, I understand that line of argument and support it, I replied. The next question is this - what are you going to do about Alans contract here? If you sell him for three million - and Im not saying you should - I would get a striker in for £1.2 million whom I like very much. Hes called Emile Mpenza - 23 years old, powerful and quick. He might be the future. I cant sell Alan Shearer, the chairman repeated. - Sir Bobby Robson, July 2005.
It was during the 03/04 season, and Newcastles hallowed number nine was 33 years old. However, with speculation mounting over Michael Owens future at the club, the Anfield club were keen to bolster their attacking options and what better place to start than with a cheeky bid for the Premier Leagues top goalscorer of all time? Of course, considering Shearer has stated that he has remained perfectly at ease with his decision to forfeit league a plethora of league and cup winners medals at Manchester United to return home to Newcastle during his prime, one can only assume that he wouldnt have walked out on the club with only three seasons left in the tank. Everybody knows what it meant to the Gosforth-born number nine to break Jackie Milburns 49-year-old goalscoring record in 2006, so it would have been a hollow and premature end to his time on Tyneside to leave for one of the clubs top four rivals three years beforehand.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
