5 superstars who rejected Liverpool

#1 Nemanja Vidic

Liverpool were in pole position to sign Vidic until Sir Alex Ferguson decided to intervene

The name Nemanja Vidic is often associated with the phrase rock-solid and deservedly so. The Serbian superstar was a pivotal member of the Sir Alex Ferguson managed Manchester United in between 2006 and 2014 and helped the side win numerous trophies including 5 League titles, 1 UEFA Champions League and 1 FIFA Club World Cup.

His defensive partnership alongside Rio Ferdinand brings a smile to the face of Manchester United fans to this day and he is believed to be amongst the greatest of all time in the Premier League. However, it could have been very different had Liverpool’s approach for him not interrupted by Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Serbian had enjoyed successful stints at Red Star Belgrade and Spartak Moscow as well as the Serbian national team and it came as no surprise to the learned in the game when the Reds made an effort to sign him. Rafael Benitez, the then Liverpool manager had been in contact with Vidic and despite trying to convince him numerous times, failed to close the deal, especially with Vidic being apprehensive about moving to England.

What is perhaps funny is that the apprehension disappeared when Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson, in particular, decided to get involved. The Scot convinced Vidic that he had a role to play in his project at the Old Trafford and before Liverpool could realise what had hit them, Vidic had been unveiled as a Manchester United player.

The player has claimed that the move was completed in a matter of 2 days and while his performances against Liverpool were often sub-par, the Serbian played a crucial role in ensuring Sir Alex Ferguson could fulfil his desire of knocking Liverpool off their perch.