A former Liverpool assistant manager has revealed how close they were to signing Cristiano Ronaldo before he decided to move to Manchester United.
Ronaldo moved to Old Trafford for the first time in 2003 from Sporting in Portugal. During that time, the young forward made his name on the world stage with phenomenal performances for Sir Alex Ferguson.
That form led to a move to a big money move to Real Madrid in 2009 and the rest is history. The Portuguese ace returned to the Theatre of Dreams last year but has now made it clear to United that he wishes to move on should a 'reasonable' offer be submitted.
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Things, however, could have been a lot different had Gerard Houllier and Phil Thompson got their way. Speaking to Paddy Power, the latter explained how close the Merseyside club got to securing Ronaldo's signature nearly 20 years ago.
"There were a few players we missed out on when I was working with Gerard Houllier at Liverpool," Thompson began. "There was one who was not, maybe, a big name at all but he did alright in life and in football.
"His name was... I think... Ah yes, Cristiano Ronaldo was his name. We actually went and had a look at him because he was being offered to a lot of clubs by his agent Paul Stretford, and we were being offered him as well.
"There was Manchester United, I remember being linked, Newcastle as well, and people were wanting him. I went to see the last game of the season over there [in Portugal] and we chatted.
"That was on the Sunday, on the Monday I arrived back in Liverpool, went into training, we were sitting there, and I said to Gerard Houllier, 'This boy's a player, he's great.' He'd been offered to everybody for £4m.
"He wanted £1m over the four years of his contract and it would have quite easily been done. Next thing, it comes up on the screen on the strap at the bottom of Sky Sports News, ' Cristiano Ronaldo signs for United - £12.2m.'
"Gerard Houllier said: 'What the heck's gone on there, Phil? I thought it was £4m?
"'I thought it was up for debate.' He said: 'Get on to the agent and find out why.'
"I went over there with a guy called Tony Henry who worked with Paul Stretford and I rang him and he said: 'Phil, when I got off the plane I got a phone call and got told 'you're off the deal'.'
"You can make up your own minds what happened there but that was close, but he's done alright for himself, hasn't he?"
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