Man United Legend Reveals Why He Rejected Liverpool | OneFootball

Manchester United Legend Admits He Chose Juventus Over Liverpool

Sliding-Door Moment in Transfer History

Football is shaped by moments that change the course of history, and few are as fascinating as the transfers that never happened. Gazzetta Italia has reported fresh comments from Edwin van der Sar that underline just how close Liverpool came to signing him in the late 1990s.

The Dutchman admitted: “I had two options: Liverpool or Juventus. I spoke with both clubs, then my heart pushed me to Italy.” At the time, Serie A was the most prestigious league in Europe, a competition stacked with world-class talent and tactical sophistication. Juventus had just beaten Ajax in the 1996 Champions League final and were considered the pinnacle.

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Van der Sar said, “Serie A was the best league around back then, Juventus was an historic club and had beaten us in the Champions League final in 1996.” His decision was influenced not just by football but by tradition. “I liked the Bianconero jersey, and I was intrigued by the idea of playing in a team where a legendary keeper like Dino Zoff had been the main man.”

Juventus Move and Mixed Years

The goalkeeper spent two seasons in Turin from 1999 to 2001. By his own admission, it was not his best spell: “There were many changes at Juventus compared to the habits I had at Ajax. I didn’t play my best football, but I don’t regret it.”

Van der Sar reflected on the nature of criticism that comes with being a goalkeeper. “When a striker doesn’t score, or when a goalkeeper doesn’t save goals, it’s part of the game to receive criticism. But, it was a great experience to live and play in Italy.”

Culture and Camaraderie

The former Netherlands international spoke fondly of the dressing-room environment he encountered. “The summer I arrived, my teammates all took me out to dinner: Ferrara, Iuliano, Zidane, Inzaghi, Zambrotta, Davids. We ate very well at the restaurants in Turin. At the end of the nights, I’d go to take out my credit card, but I’d never be allowed to pay for anything.”

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Liverpool’s Missed Opportunity

For Liverpool fans, these comments are a reminder of how different the late 1990s could have been. The club searched for a commanding presence between the posts for years, and missing out on a future Manchester United legend only deepened the frustration of that era.

Van der Sar’s eventual move to Fulham in 2001 and later to Old Trafford shaped English football for a decade. One choice in the late 1990s kept a great career on a path that would see Liverpool face him at his peak, rather than benefit from his talents.

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Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Hearing that Liverpool were so close to signing Van der Sar feels like a punch to the gut for supporters who lived through the late 1990s and early 2000s. The team were crying out for a world-class keeper, and although there were admirable servants in goal during that time, none reached the level of consistency that Van der Sar later showed at Manchester United.

Fans will read his quotes about being “pushed by his heart” to Juventus and wonder how much difference he could have made had he chosen Merseyside. The thought of him in a Liverpool shirt through the Gerard Houllier era, commanding the back line, might have changed the outcome of several campaigns.

At the same time, there is respect for the honesty and insight he gives into the culture at Juventus, describing dinners with Zidane, Inzaghi, and Davids as a welcome into Italian football. It reminds supporters of just how magnetic Serie A was at the time and why such a decision was not surprising.

Liverpool eventually found their long-term answer with Alisson Becker, but this story remains one of those tantalising “what ifs” that fuel the imagination of fans. It underlines how transfers are not just transactions but emotional decisions that ripple across football history.