Richard Hughes thought Liverpool had a genuine chance of signing Nuno Mendes - here's why it didn't happen | OneFootball

Liverpool’s former sporting director Richard Hughes reportedly felt his club had a realistic shot at signing Nuno Mendes until he signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

The world class Portugal international was seen as a feasible option for the Reds at left-back, only for him to then sign a new deal with PSG in 2025.

That then led Hughes to raid his old club Bournemouth for the signing of Milos Kerkez instead, according to the Athletic.

Liverpool fans will no doubt be frustrated to find out that they missed out on Mendes, who looks like he surely would have been a superior signing to Kerkez.

Nuno Mendes – one that got away for Liverpool

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Mendes has quickly established himself as one of the best left-backs in the world at PSG, playing a key role in them winning two Champions League finals in a row.

The 24-year-old is a superb all-rounder who could surely have shone in the Premier League as well, while Kerkez has been slow to get going since his big move to Anfield.

Hughes has now left LFC, but this looks like one of many disappointments from his reign as the club’s sporting director.

Other missed Liverpool targets

The report from the Athletic also mentions other Liverpool targets that got away from Hughes while he was in charge.

It seems the Merseyside giants were also keen on Marco Palestra this summer before he ended up going to Chelsea instead.

Meanwhile, the report also mentions how Hughes pushed for Antoine Semenyo while he was still at Bournemouth, though Manchester City ended up winning the race for his signature.