8 World Class Players Who Rejected Liverpool, Including Ronaldo And Kroos
- Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi has made a surprising U-turn and opted to remain at Spanish club Real Sociedad
- Despite receiving assurances that he would leave the La Liga club this summer, the Reds will not be securing the midfielder
- Legit.ng has highlighted eight other players who also turned down a move to Anfield, including Cristiano Ronaldo
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Liverpool are one of the most iconic clubs in world football, but even they have faced rejection from players in their storied history.
Despite their impressive trophy haul and the allure of Anfield, several footballers have turned down Liverpool’s offers to stay put or join other teams.
Source: UGC
The latest player to decline Liverpool is Martin Zubimendi, who chose to stay at Real Sociedad after receiving a new, more lucrative contract.
The Reds are the only Premier League club yet to make a summer signing; new boss Arne Slot wants a new No 6 in midfield, per Sky Sports.
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This decision adds him to a list of notable players who have said no to the Reds.
Legit.ng looks at six prominent examples:
World Class Players Who Rejected Liverpool
Cristiano Ronaldo
In 2003, during his breakout year at Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo caught the eye of Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier, per Sky Sports.
However, the 18-year-old’s salary demands were too high for Liverpool’s strict wage structure.
While Liverpool hesitated, Ronaldo’s standout performance in a friendly against Manchester United persuaded Sir Alex Ferguson to secure his signing.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Dennis Bergkamp
Imagining the Dutch maestro in a Liverpool shirt is intriguing. Bergkamp, renowned for his graceful play and technical brilliance, saw his future with Arsenal.
The allure of North London, bolstered by compatriot Bruce Rioch's vision, convinced him to join Arsenal over Liverpool, who also sought his talents.
Bergkamp's decision proved wise, as he became a pivotal figure in Arsenal's history, securing several league titles with the club.
Alexis Sánchez
Alexis Sánchez, another former Arsenal star, was close to joining Liverpool in 2014 as a replacement for Luis Suárez.
Despite the move to Anfield seeming logical with Suárez heading to Barcelona, Sánchez chose Arsenal for its London appeal and Arsène Wenger’s vision. His decision to join the Gunners ultimately proved fruitful for both parties.
David Silva
Before becoming a Manchester City legend with multiple Premier League titles, David Silva nearly signed with Liverpool.
At the time with Valencia, Silva was enticed by City’s ambitious plans and the promise of making history.
His decision to turn down Liverpool in 2010 was vindicated by his successful tenure at City.
Toni Kroos
Liverpool was eager to bring German midfield maestro Toni Kroos to Anfield. At Bayern Munich, Kroos was a target for Liverpool, who even enlisted Steven Gerrard to sway him.
However, the prospect of joining Real Madrid was more appealing to Kroos.
He chose Spain over England and went on to become one of the best midfielders in Real Madrid’s history.
Michael Laudrup
Laudrup, one of the finest attacking midfielders of his era, had initially agreed to join Liverpool in 1983.
The deal fell through when Liverpool asked him to extend his contract by an additional year.
Opting instead to join Juventus from Brøndby, Laudrup’s decision meant Liverpool missed out on one of the best playmakers of the time.
Nemanja Vidić
In the winter of 2005-06, Rafa Benítez made multiple attempts to sign Vidić, who was then at Spartak Moscow.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson intervened, convincing the Serbian defender that Manchester United was a better destination.
Liverpool's offer was eventually eclipsed, and Vidić joined United for £7 million.
Diego Costa
In 2014, Liverpool targeted Costa to replace the departing Luis Suárez.
However, José Mourinho persuaded Costa that a move to Chelsea would be more advantageous.
Costa went on to win the Premier League with Chelsea in 2015 and 2017, while Liverpool settled for Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert up front.
Costa’s departure from Chelsea in 2018 came just as Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mane, Salah, and Firminho was beginning to take shape, perhaps making Liverpool’s decision to target him seem more fortuitous in retrospect.
Luis Diaz not leaving Liverpool
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that rumours from Spain have sparked controversy by suggesting Liverpool forward Luis Díaz has agreed to join Manchester City,
The Colombian winger, who has attracted interest from some of Europe's bigwigs, may now be heading to the Premier League champions in a surprising move.
However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, known for his reliable updates, indicates that City’s sources have denied any agreement with Díaz, casting doubt on the transfer’s validity.
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