Change your cologne, Brendan.
Confirmation of Memphis Depay’s transfer to Manchester United has closed the curtain on yet another ‘Liverpool for X’ saga.
Liverpool officials met with the Dutch winger in late April and, apparently, were ‘one step ahead’ of United in the race to secure his services. Perhaps Brendan Rodgers stopped running as Louis van Gaal overtook him in the last four days and has his man.
Depay, however, is not the first footballer to reject Liverpool’s advances since Rodgers took over, in 2012. In chronological order, here are the decent ones that got away.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Having played under Rodgers at Reading, Sigurdsson was one of the Northern Irishman’s first transfer targets. He was available, from Swansea, for £8m but, apparently, his wage demands scared off Ian Ayre, John W. Henry and co.
The Icelandic international moved to Tottenham, struggled to make an impact and returned to the Liberty Stadium, in 2014. He has been the Swans’ star man this season and has actually been more productive than Liverpool’s PFA Player of the Year nominee Philippe Coutinho.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Liverpool scouts had flagged the Armenian player as a potential bargain signing that could add some attacking zip to the Reds midfield. Mkhitaryan met with Liverpool officials about a move from Shakhtar Donetsk but Borussia Dortmund swooped and won the battle. He scored nine goals in 31 games in his first season with the Bundesliga side but has been in and out of a Dortmund side that has struggled this season.
Clint Dempsey
Another goalscoring midfielder that was stolen by Spurs in the summer of 2012. The American looked a dead-cert to arrive at Anfield but, again, wages intervened. The major stumbling block, though, was Fulham’s evaluation of Dempsey. Spurs paid £6m for Dempsey but Liverpool would not budge beyond £5m.
Dempsey scored seven goals in 29 games with Spurs but failed to hold down a regular starting spot. He opted to join the Seattle Sounders, a season later, and became the highest paid American player in the MLS.
Willian
In 2013, the scouts did their work – urging Rodgers and the Liverpool transfer committee to sign up the Brazilian from Anzhi. Fenway Sports Group were not prepared to pay out £30m for the midfielder, who was 25 at the time.
Willian looked set to move to Spurs instead, but Chelsea swooped late on and the Brazilian has proved to be a key part of Jose Mourinho’s midfield over the past two seasons and is now a league winner with the Blues.
Diego Costa
The Spa-zilian had a release clause of £22m in his Atletico Madrid contract and, in summer 2013, Liverpool met that fee. It was up to Costa to decide if he fancied a move to England. Costa had just broken into the Spanish national team and was eyeing a World Cup 2014 spot so opted to stay with the La Liga outfit. The decision paid off – he won the La Liga title with Atletico and reached the Champions League final.
When it came time to move, a season later, and after an underwhelming World Cup, Costa was convinced to join Chelsea by Mourinho. When his hamstring is not tender, he has proven to be a lethal hit-man.
Yevhen Konoplyanka
Rodgers had been impressed with the Dnipro and Ukraine winger’s performances in Europe. Both clubs agreed a £15m fee, in the final days of the January 2014 transfer window, and Konoplyanka both agreed personal terms and passed a medical. Ian Ayre made a late dash to Ukraine to seal the deal. But Dnipro then stalled for more money, with hours before the window closed, and Liverpool told them, euphemistically speaking, to do one. Konoplyanka remains in Ukraine but Liverpool have not returned for a second bite.
Mohamed Salah
Impressed a hell of a lot of people through his Champions League performances with Basel. Liverpool sought to jump the queue for the attacking midfielder’s services by bringing him in during the January 2014 transfer window. Salah was reluctant to leave, midway through his team’s European adventures. When he did up sticks, Jose Mourinho plucked him for Chelsea but he had to settle for a supporting role before being loaned to Fiorentina.
Alexis Sanchez
Liverpool knew they would be losing Luis Suarez to Barcelona in the summer of 2014. Rodgers wanted to get Alexis Sanchez in the door. Unlike the previous two summers Rodgers had Champions League football to offer. So too did Arsenal. But they also had the lure of London, and that is said to have proved decisive in Sanchez’s decision. Liverpool missed out on a genuine star. Sanchez has been as revelation for the Gunners this season, with his goals and assists propelling them into second.
Loic Remy
The Queens Park Rangers striker seemed on the verge of a move to Merseyside until, we were informed, that he had failed a medical. Certainly the minor heart issue that was said to have caused the ‘failed medical’ was nothing knew, having been widely publicised when Remy previously signed for Marseille. Rumours circulated that Liverpool used to condition to lower the contract offer to Remy. The deal was off. Chelsea sidled up and signed Remy for £8m. He has proved to be a vital squad player and scored three winners in close succession after Costa was injured. Liverpool instead signed Mario Balotelli.
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