The allure of Liverpool led one player to reject Barcelona in order to continue their stay at Anfield
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard celebrates his goal with teammates John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso and Momo Sissoko
Liverpool's midfield under Rafa Benitez was celebrated hugely by their fans(Image: 2005 AFP)
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Momo Sissoko once revealed he turned down an offer from Barcelona to continue his career at Liverpool. The former Reds midfielder was at the club from 2005 to 2008 and was a fan favourite at Anfield.
Like Ronald Araujo, who desired a move to Liverpool so much he decided to take a pay cut, the former Mali international prioritised his happiness when finding out the Spanish giants were interested in his services in the summer of 2007.
Sissoko, 41, had won the FA Cup the year before and reached the Champions League final in 2007. He previously explained his decision to FourFourTwo: "I rejected Barcelona’s offer. I received their proposal and we were in advanced talks, but I was happy at Liverpool.
"I didn’t want to go anywhere and decided to stay. I had a great time with Liverpool – the best game was the FA Cup final against West Ham. We came from 2-0 down to win and lift the cup."
Sissoko was one member of a Liverpool midfield that included Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, who were immortalised by song by the Anfield faithful. Playing alongside the former Reds captain and the now-Chelsea boss was the experience of a lifetime for Sissoko.
He said: "I was young and they taught me a lot. They were two masters. Just watching Gerrard in training was a big lesson for me. He was the type of leader who would die for his club and for his city.
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Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates scoring the first goal with Momo Sissoko during the Champions League second qualifying round, second leg match between Liverpool and FBK Kaunas
Momo Sissoko spoke of the joy he had playing alongside Steven Gerrard (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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"Ahead of the derbies, he used to speak to the whole squad and say, ‘We need to win – I was born here and I’ve got to win. This is my jersey, my club and my city. I could die for Liverpool – now let’s go out there and do what we have to’.
"He didn’t have to raise his voice or get angry with other players. He had that ability to find the right things to say." Sissoko's move to Liverpool in 2005 saw him reunite with Rafa Benitez, who he had played under at Valencia, with the pair winning La Liga together.
The former Liverpool boss routinely compared Sissoko to Patrick Vieira because of their similar styles as robust midfielders. Despite the overriding compliment of the comparison, it wasn't one Sissoko enjoyed much.
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Fernando Morientes (L) is congratulated by Steven Gerrard (2ndL), Harry Kewell (R) and Momo Sissoko while playing against Birmingham during their FA Cup quarter final match at Saint Andrews stadium in Birmingham, 21 March 2006.
The Frenchman was a fan favourite during his three years at Anfield(Image: getty images)
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He added: "When a manager like Benitez says something like that about you, it’s an honour. But I didn’t want to be Vieira. I wanted to be Sissoko – to train and play as well as possible, to become the best player I could. I didn’t feel pressure on account of the comparison. It only pushed me to give my best."
Sissoko eventually departed Merseyside to sign for Juventus and spent three years in Turin before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2011. He then enjoyed stints in Spain, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Hong Kong before he retired in 2019 after a short stint with French side Sochaux.