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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Theo Squires

Cristiano Ronaldo snub saw Liverpool take transfer gamble on 'next Deco' Steven Gerrard loved

Liverpool Cristiano Ronaldo Deco Brendan Rodgers Gerard Houllier Phil Thompson Steven Gerrard Manchester United Sporting Sporting Lisbon

How things could have turned out differently.

Back in 2003, Gerard Houllier and Phil Thompson were in talks with Sporting Lisbon regarding a £4m deal for a certain teenager called Cristiano Ronaldo, only for the Portuguese’s wage demands to cool their interest after signing Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Anthony Le Tallec from Le Havre.

Still looking to negotiate, Liverpool were shocked when the 18-year-old moved to Manchester United in a £12.2m transfer after wowing the Red Devils in a pre-season friendly.

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