Andy Robertson has revealed how close he came to taking a different path before Liverpool came calling and Jurgen Klopp convinced him to make the move to Anfield
Andrew Robertson of Liverpool during a Premier League match
Andy Robertson has opened up on his move to Liverpool in 2017(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has discussed his move to Anfield in 2017, but his future could have looked very different had he moved elsewhere in the previous transfer window.
Robertson was released by Celtic as a teenager and went on to have stints at Queen's Park and Dundee United in his homeland of Scotland before he was signed by a Premier League club in 2014. The 2016/17 season was a challenging one for the Tigers as they stared down the barrel of relegation.
Midway through that campaign, in the January window, Robertson attracted interest from other clubs. The uncertainty surrounding his future at Hull could've prompted a move, but instead, he stuck it out until the end of the season, which ultimately earned him a move to Liverpool.
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"In the January, things weren't really looking good for Hull," the left back explained in the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast. "I think Burnley and Sunderland came in for me. David Moyes came in for me at Sunderland, but Sunderland — they were rock bottom at that point.
"I was 22, 23. My wife was 22, and we'd just found out that she was pregnant. She was panicking because I was without a [long-term] contract. She's like, 'We need to look after our future.' So I'm like, 'Just trust me, please.'
"The window shut, and I stayed at Hull. I remember meeting my agent, and we had Stoke in for me at that point. But Stoke were, maybe, seventh or eighth under Mark Hughes, in the European places.
"I said to my agent, 'Forget about Liverpool. I know Liverpool are talking, but there's no way... I need to make another step.'
Andrew Robertson of Liverpool shows appreciation to the fans following a Premier League match against Fulham
Robertson departed Liverpool at the end of last season as a free agent(Image: Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)
"We were in the meeting for about an hour. Five minutes before the end, the chief scout at Liverpool phoned my agent and said, 'Jurgen Klopp wants to meet him.' So, everything we spoke about got ripped up. Next couple of weeks, I went over and met Jurgen in his house."
Robertson signed for Liverpool for a relatively nominal fee at the end of July that year. He was not the immediate first-choice left back under Klopp. However, an injury to Alberto Moreno provided an opportunity that the Scotland international grasped with both hands.
Over the course of his Liverpool career, Robertson amassed over 370 appearances across all competitions. He scored 14 goals and registered 69 assists during that time.
His final season at Anfield saw increased competition for places due to the arrival of Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth. Robertson departed the club as a free agent at the end of the previous campaign before joining Tottenham.
It's fair to say it's been a challenging start for the 32-year-old in north London as Spurs are yet to win a Premier League match. They have suffered three defeats and two draws, with the latest setback coming against Aston Villa before the international break.