Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail that Jose Mourinho wanted him at Real Madrid.
The England international, 32, says the Portuguese boss tried to lure him to the Santiago Bernabeu in his first season with the current Spanish champions, and had also attempted to prise him away from Anfield during his time with Chelsea.
“That sort of thing has been going on for the last 10 years. People only really heard about it with Mourinho and Chelsea in 2004 and 2005. But it has happened a few times,” admitted Gerrard.
“Sir Alex Ferguson also wanted me to play in his team. But that was an impossible situation.
“The Mourinho thing was different, of course. This club [Liverpool] was not really challenging at the time, so there was something to think about. But I ended up saying no and a year later I said no again.
“But he came back when he arrived at Real Madrid two years ago. I look at some players who get interest from clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona and they cause absolute wars to get out and get there.
“But that has never been me and, again, it just wasn’t going to happen.
“I was happy here. I was settled. I thought all that had gone really,” he added.