Man United flop Antony has made headlines by revealing he was “very shut” to becoming a member of Liverpool in 2022 – and he makes our XI of gamers we’re glad we didn’t signal!
Liverpool supporters have been handled to some particular signings in recent times.
However whereas the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have change into fashionable legends, there have been some bullets dodged alongside the way in which too.
Right here’s our XI of gamers who Liverpool tried to signal however, after shifting elsewhere, followers have been left grateful they by no means arrived at Anfield.
And sure, £86 million Antony makes the minimize.
Goalkeeper – Jack Butland
There was a time when Jack Butland was seen as England’s future long-term No. 1.
That noticed him linked with a transfer to Liverpool for a number of years, together with again in 2017.
The Reds didn’t signal him, as an alternative snapping up Alisson the next summer season, with the Brazilian turning into one of many biggest goalkeepers in historical past.
As for Butland, he’s now 31 and at Rangers, having not reached his potential.
Proper-back – Lucas Neill
We’re having to return a while to get a proper again for this XI and a few of chances are you’ll not even bear in mind Lucas Neill.
Throughout Rafa Benitez’s reign, the Australian was seen as a powerful choice to usher in at right-back however he by no means felt like a Liverpool-level participant.
In actual fact, Neill was solely actually recognized to Reds supporters as a result of he broke Jamie Carragher’s leg whereas enjoying for Blackburn in 2003.
As an alternative of Liverpool, he moved to West Ham in 2007 earlier than enjoying for the likes of Everton, Galatasaray and Sydney FC.
Centre-back – Phil Jones
It’s unhappy what occurred with Phil Jones’ profession, with accidents in the end destroying it.
The centre-back has now hung up his boots, regardless of solely lately turning 33, and he was an enormous goal for Liverpool in 2011 previous to him selecting Man United as an alternative.
On the time, it felt like a blow, with Jones seen as a future chief for England, however he discovered himself constantly unavailable for greater than a decade.
Granted, he nonetheless made 229 appearances for United, however that came visiting 12 years at Previous Trafford, averaging simply 19 appearances a season.
Centre-back – Ashley Williams
Evaluating Van Dijk and Ashley Williams is like evaluating two individuals enjoying completely different sports activities!
Nevertheless, there was a time when the Welshman was thought-about an choice for Liverpool, with Brendan Rodgers desirous to reunite along with his former Swansea participant in 2013.
Williams remained with the Swans till 2016, although, finally shifting to Everton as an alternative, the place he hardly ever satisfied.
Bullet dodged.
Left-back – Ben Chilwell
Earlier than Liverpool signed Andy Robertson for simply £8 million from Hull in 2017, Ben Chilwell was the highest goal at left-back.
The Reds couldn’t strike a deal for the Englishman, nonetheless, and he ended up shifting to Chelsea from Leicester in 2020.
Whereas Robertson has been one in every of Europe’s premier left-backs previously seven or eight years, Chilwell hasn’t matched his early-career hype.
The 28-year-old’s time as Chelsea has fizzled out, with Enzo Maresca clearly not score him, main to only 32 minutes this season earlier than he joined Crystal Palace on mortgage.
Put merely, the variety of accidents Chilwell has picked up means Liverpool signing him would have been an error.
Centre midfield – Romeo Lavia
It could appear loopy now, however not everybody was content material after Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai arrived at Liverpool in 2023.
Bids for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia sparked pleasure, previous to them each becoming a member of Chelsea, with the Reds as an alternative bringing in Wataru Endo.
In hindsight, not signing Lavia was positively a blessing in disguise for Liverpool, with the Belgian making solely 13 appearances for the Blues to date attributable to long-term accidents.
Centre-midfield – Mason Mount
Additionally in the summertime of 2023, Mason Mount emerged as a goal that many bought behind.
There was a battle for the England worldwide’s signature however he ended up at United with a deal – a £60 million switch price for Chelsea and wages of £250,000 every week – thought-about too pricey for Liverpool.
Mount’s time at Previous Trafford has been a catastrophe, nonetheless, scoring and helping simply as soon as apiece in 32 matches, not helped by fixed accidents.
Liverpool signed Szoboszlai as an alternative, fortunately!
No. 10 – Thomas Lemar
Thomas Lemar was a key participant with Monaco once they reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2017, in a staff additionally that includes Fabinho and Kylian Mbappe.
Liverpool have been desirous to land a deal, with bids of £55.5 million and £64.8 million rejected, however he went to Atletico Madrid in 2018.
Whereas the Frenchman has completed adequately in his seven years in Spain, he has by no means lived as much as his Monaco hype.
Proper wing – Antony
Pound for pound, Antony needs to be one of many worst signings within the historical past of the Premier League.
At United, the £86 million Brazilian was famend for an entire lack of finish product – 5 assists in 96 appearances! – and he has been shipped off on mortgage to Actual Betis.
Because it seems, Antony has lately admitted that he was “very shut” to becoming a member of Liverpool earlier than his swap to United as talks stalled over a brand new contract for Mohamed Salah.
In terms of bullets dodged for the Reds, that is proper up there.
Left wing – Nicolas Pepe
By way of the poorest value-for-money Premier League signings, Nicolas Pepe may give Antony a run for his cash.
Arsenal paid £72 million for the Ivorian in 2019, however in the identical summer season, Liverpool have been reportedly pushing to signal him.
Pepe ended up being a particularly poor man’s Salah for the Gunners, reducing inside from the best and producing so little finish product, and he left to hitch Trabzonspor in 2023.
9 assists in 80 Premier League video games doesn’t repay that large price!
Striker – Timo Werner
The Bundesliga ‘specialists’ amongst us appeared adamant that Timo Werner can be excellent for Liverpool underneath Jurgen Klopp.
However over time, it has change into obvious that the German is a restricted footballer with a questionable angle, with Tottenham supervisor Ange Postecoglou criticising him this season.
Werner flattered to deceive at Chelsea, and now on mortgage at Spurs after a return to RB Leipzig, he has failed to attain in 18 Premier League matches.
He might have completed nicely within the Bundesliga, however he has failed in England. Liverpool signed Diogo Jota as an alternative.
