'Real Madrid wanted me after I won the Euros – but I chose to join Liverpool instead'

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Just one year ago, Liverpool fans were growing increasingly frustrated with the club's slow transfer dealings, which wasn't for lack of effort from the Anfield hierarchy.

Martin Zubimendi turned down a switch to Anfield, whilst Newcastle United scuppered a potential swap arrangement involving Anthony Gordon.

However, having witnessed failed bids for Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia across the previous two seasons, such irritation was entirely justified.

Regarding Tchouameni and Bellingham, Liverpool was forced to watch on as both secured lucrative transfers to Real Madrid.

When the Reds acquired Euro '96 winner Markus Babbel on a free transfer from Bayern Munich during the summer of 2000, he rejected Madrid's advances during this deal, despite them being the reigning European champions, to join Liverpool instead.

"Yeah, yeah, Real Madrid wanted me," he revealed to the ECHO on behalf of NewBettingSites.uk.

The German defender shunned Real Madrid for Liverpool.

And I said: 'Oh, thank you very much, but Real Madrid is not my club'.

"If I go to Spain, then the only team I would sign for is Barcelona, because I am a massive Barcelona supporter and Real Madrid wasn't ever my club and my team.

6am in the morning and on the radio, the news came: 'Spectacular, Markus Babbel is signing for Real Madrid!'

"And I was on the way to Manchester, and driving over to Liverpool to sign the contract.