Liverpool have been linked with so many different players over the years that it’s sometimes hard to keep track.
But, since the Anfield outfit are one of the biggest clubs in the world, there’s bound to be rumours popping up left, right, and centre.
Sometimes these transfer rumours come to fruition and Liverpool end up buying the player, but more often than not, something happens that causes the deal to fall through.
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This summer, most of the players linked with a Liverpool switch actually made the move, with the club spending over £400 million on improving their first-team squad.
Alexander Isak in action during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
However, in the past, fans have been let down more than once, with a Ligue 1 midfielder now admitting that he was close to joining the Reds back in 2013.
Maxime Lopez admits that Liverpool put ‘everything’ on the table to try and sign him in 2013
Maxime Lopez is likely to be a player who most people outside of France have never heard of.
At the moment, the midfielder plays for Ligue 1 outfit Paris FC, with the Frenchman being a key cog in their system.
However, back in 2013, he was a product of Marseille’s academy, with clubs such as Liverpool and Barcelona vying for his transfer.
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And now, in an interview with Canal+, in quotes relayed by Le 10 Sport, Lopez has admitted that Liverpool and Barcelona were both interested in acquiring his services.
“Liverpool was well before Barcelona. In 2013, I went to visit for three days,” he said.
“Barça, it was discussions, Liverpool, there was a pro contract, everything was there, but I chose to stay in Marseille at the time.”
Maxime Lopez wouldn’t have had much of a chance at Liverpool, especially now
At the time when Lopez was linked with a Liverpool move, the Reds were still going through a transitional phase and were only just getting back to their best.
They’ve had several solid defensive midfielders over the last few years, and since Lopez is now only 27 years old, he’d have likely been expected to be a regular starter for Liverpool.
However, with players such as Lucas Leiva, Jordan Henderson, and even Joe Allen among their ranks, it would have been incredibly hard for him to break into the starting XI.
Jordan Henderson pictured playing for Liverpool in a Premier League game.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Even after that, players such as Fabinho and Ryan Gravenberch have been around, with some, such as Tyler Morton and Pedro Chirivella, being shipped out due to them having no future at Anfield.
At the time, a move for Lopez may have made sense, and although he may not have reached the heights he was expected to, the fact that he’s now a regular starter for a Ligue 1 outfit proves that he’s still done well for himself.