Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar claims that he could have joined Liverpool – four years before he signed for the Red Devils.
The retired Netherlands international went on to make 266 appearances for Manchester United between 2005-11, winning four Premier League titles, a League Cup, the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
However, his career could have panned out in a dramatically different fashion had he decided to go to Anfield instead.
Back in 2001, with Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier losing faith in his number one Sander Westerveld – despite a hat-trick of cup final wins earlier in the year – the Reds were in the market for a new keeper.
They'd go on to sensationally sign two in one frenzied day ahead of the Champions League deadline, with Pole Jerzy Dudek arriving from Feyenoord and Coventry City's Chris Kirkland arriving within hours of each other.
However, ahead of Jurgen Klopp's side's visit to Old Trafford on Sunday, van der Sar, now 48, has revealed that he could have been Dutch compatriot Westerveld's replacement instead.
The Ajax chief executive – who this week has been touting himself for a return to Manchester United in a similar role – told t-online via Goal : “I had two options and could have transferred to Liverpool or Dortmund.
“Both clubs hesitated a bit, so in the end I chose Fulham.”
