I felt Liverpool forced me to leave - Chelsea's manager even called me one night

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The latest Liverpool news as Robbie Fowler reveals further details behind his controversial Liverpool exitRobbie Fowler has revealed that Liverpool tried to sell him on several occasions despite the Toxteth-born striker feeling happy at Anfield.Fowler came through Liverpool’s academy from a young age before signing professionally for the club in 1992. One year later, the former England international made his debut in an FA Cup tie.The now-50-year-old quickly became one of the Premier League’s top strikers, going on to score 120 goals for Liverpool before his controversial exit in 2001.Fowler’s relationship with Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier had deteriorated at the turn of the century.

I left to go to Leeds, Leeds weren’t the first that came in for me."The club [Liverpool] had tried to sell me a few times. I answer it and it's Gianluca Vialli at Chelsea, and he said: 'the club have agreed a fee, and we've got an affidavit, we want you to come and chat.' I was taken aback because 'I'm happy at Liverpool, I don't want to go anywhere."But, behind the scenes, the club were trying to sell me.

I had a quick conversation with him [Vialli], 'I'll come back to you, I'll have to speak to the club,' because I was getting a phone call saying 'the club are getting rid of you,' but I needed to speak to the club."So I went in the next day, and the manager denied it, and I just sort of knew my days were numbered."Then Leeds came a few weeks later, and I just knew, for my own sake, sanity, my own health, if you like, that I probably just needed to leave."I think if I'd been allowed to have been at Liverpool, and only Liverpool, for all of my career, I'd have taken that all day long."Leeds United paid £12m for Fowler's services. Fowler then struggled to regain his fitness.The striker would later move to Manchester City, where he played four seasons before returning to Liverpool on a free transfer.Fowler left Anfield for good in 2007 and went on to play for Cardiff and Blackburn before moving to Australia and finishing his career with Muangthong United, a Thailand-based club.For the latest news and breaking news, visit liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/liverpool-fc.