Aurelien Tchouameni has caught the eye again after thundering France into the lead against England at the World Cup - and had things gone differently, he could have been doing so as a Liverpool player.
The Reds were heavily linked with the signing of Tchouameni in the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old had impressed at Monaco which had led to Jurgen Klopp expressing an interest in bringing the player to Anfield.
In the end, Tchouameni opted instead to move to Real Madrid in a deal worth up to £85million. As a result, Liverpool only completed a loan deal for a new midfielder in the summer, with Arthur Melo arriving on deadline day.
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Months after deciding on his future, Tchouameni reflected on his move to the Spanish capital and confirmed that Liverpool made the first move. However, the midfielder explained why he rejected the opportunity to move to Anfield.
“The first to come forward was Liverpool. We had discussions,” Tchouameni told French news outlet Le Parisien .
He added: “Then Real arrived. And in my head everything was clear. It was Real and not another. It's the biggest club in the world.
“If you claim to accomplish great things, to mark the history of your sport, there is no better. So I didn't hesitate for a second.
“I told my agent: as long as there is interest, we do everything to go there. I was already conditioned.
“When Paris showed up, my choice was already made, even if I was happy to be approached by PSG.”
This story was first published on November 21, 2022.
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