Ex-Hibs star Steven Fletcher had a stellar career playing for some huge clubs and at international level.
After leaving the Hibees with 52 goals for the club, the frontman went on to star in the Premier League for Burnley, Wolves and Sunderland before a loan at Marseille and then moves to Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke.
A return to Scotland with Dundee United followed and the 37-year-old is now with Wrexham in League One as they chase another promotion.
Fletcher always had his Scotland merits debated but was a reliable option for the national team and has a not-too-shabby 10 international goals to his name.
All in all, a strong career which is the envy of most. But it could have been very, very different and a lot more glamorous.
Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images
Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images
Real Madrid wanted ex-Hibs star Steven Fletcher
Back in early 2008, Fletcher was a 20-year-old striker starring for Hibs. That was his most prolific season at the club with 13 top flight strikes, but his general game brought so much more to the side as a quick and strong forward who could link the play and was good in the air.
And that, amazingly, captured the attention of Real Madrid.
The Telegraph reported at the time that the Spanish giants were keeping tabs on the young Scot and considering submitting a £4million offer to Easter Road chiefs at the end of that season.
If a global heavyweight targeting a Scottish player didn’t seem barmy enough, things got even stranger when none other than Barcelona superstar Gerard Pique tipped him to shine.
The classy centre-back came up against Fletcher in an under-19s European Championship final between Scotland and Spain and then again when Barca faced Hibs in a friendly.
6. Steven Fletcher to Real Madrid
You heard correctly. Steven Fletcher was linked with an outrageous move to Real Madrid eight years ago. Madrid had been watching the progress of Hibernian striker Fletcher with a view to making a £4 million bid. pic.twitter.com/fRJ803GI3V
— IG : Footybibleuk (@footybible_uk) September 18, 2020
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Speaking after the latter, he told the Scottish press: “I met Steven in the Under-19 European Championship two years ago and he is a very good player.
“I know something about Real Madrid wanting him but he is just 21 and people don’t need to put pressure on him because he is young. I think he has to play here at Hibs more to learn about his game and then he can go to La Liga one day.
“I definitely think he can make the step up and if he goes to Madrid he will learn a lot.
“Steven has the attributes, the only thing now is that he has to build his body and learn about his movement.
“I think a player never stops learning and he can be an example.
“If he tries to play his best all of the time, he can definitely move to La Liga or the English Premier League.”
Did Real Madrid follow up their interest in Fletcher?
The answer is yes. While they didn’t make their move to sign him from Easter Road, he did end up moving to Burnley in the Premier League.
After just one season he was on the move again after the Claret’s relegation and Wolves spent a record-equaling £6.5m on him (BBC Sport).
A report from The Mirror in 2012, some four years after the initial interest and two years into his Wanderers spell, suggested Madrid were still keeping tabs on the striker and considering attempting to sign him, originally for their B team.
Jose Mourinho was now their manager and it was claimed scouts had been dispatched to check on the player’s progress in the English top flight.
When a Sunderland player, Fletcher recalled all the speculation around Madrid’s interest.
Asked if he knew of any genuine interest, he told the BBC: “No, I just seen it in the paper and that was it really.
“It was flattering but I got a bit more stick than praise, to be honest. I think I seen a few paper clippings in the changing room.
“Not that I know of (any genuine conversations). It was just at the under-19s European Championships, the Spain manager was the Real Madrid coach at the time.
“I think he just paid me a compliment one day in the press and that was it.
“It’s a massive club so if they’re linked with any UK-based player it’s going to be blown out of proportion.”