I'd agreed a contract with Real Madrid – then Liverpool boss called and I changed my mind

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Liverpool and Real Madrid have a history of competing for talented young wingersLiverpool once swooped in and signed promising Spanish talent Suso despite the winger already having agreed a contract with Real Madrid. The Reds signed Suso, now 32, back in the summer of 2010 from his hometown club Cadiz.The teenager joined on loan until he was old enough to obtain a permit to play for them professionally.

He later revealed that Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager at the time, convinced him to make a move to Anfield that summer despite the player already being on the verge of becoming a Los Blancos star, after the La Liga giants made a big-money move for him.Benitez, who is also Spanish, met with the player and his family to pitch Liverpool’s project, as well as outlining how much confidence he had in the young Spaniard. He was successful in convincing Suso to snub Madrid for Liverpool, though Benitez would leave Anfield by mutual consent that same summer on June 3, meaning Suso never actually played under the manager.Suso later told Cope: "I had agreed on a contract with Real Madrid, and the transfer was basically done, but then Rafael Benitez called me and told me he had a lot of confidence in me and that I should go to Liverpool.

He continued to spend some time developing in Liverpool's youth team and reserves, before enjoying his big breakthrough under Brendan Rodgers in 2012/13.The winger made his debut in September 2012 during a Europa League victory over Young Boys. He now plays for boyhood club Cadiz again and has five caps for Spain, which came between 2017 and 2019.Sixteen years on from competing for Suso’s signature, Real Madrid and Liverpool have once more been locked in a battle for an exciting young winger’s signature, though Los Blancos are set to win the race this time as they look to wrap up a deal for Yan Diomande.The RB Leipzig winger, 19, has agreed personal terms with the Spanish club despite being a top Liverpool target for much of this summer.