Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness has revealed he turned down the chance to sign Manchester United legend Eric Cantona before he moved to England.
After a largely understated career in France, Cantona moved to England in 1992, signing for Leeds United after a trial at Sheffield Wednesday.
At Elland Road he would help Howard Wilkinson's side win the league title, before crossing the Pennines later that year, becoming one of the most iconic figures in the Red Devils' history over a five-year spell.
However, prior to Cantona signing for Leeds, Souness has explained how he was offered the chance to sign Cantona for Liverpool by Michel Platini after playing against Auxerre.
"I was manager of Liverpool and we played Auxerre in the cup winners' cup and we lost 2-0 away, we came back and beat them 3-0," Souness explained on The Football Show.
"After the game, Terry Littlewood, who used to look after the players' lounge and my lounge, security-wise, knocked on my door and said there's a pal outside, he's a good friend of yours and he wants to speak to you.
"I said 'who is it?' and he said 'it's Michel Platini'. Not a close pal of mine, the only time I had come in contact with him was when I played against him when I was in Italy.
"He came in and said 'I've got a player for you, he's a real problem in France but he's really talented and he'd be perfect for your club'. I said 'look, Michel, I'm fighting fires here at the moment, I'm trying to get some people out of the door that are resisting, I'm fighting a dressing room here. The last thing I need is another controversial figure'.
"Eric of course then came over on trial with Sheffield Wednesday, then signed for Leeds and the rest is history. When he went to United, it was a young team and young players need someone like that on the pitch to look up to. I think Eric was certainly one of them."
