Former Liverpool attacker Dirk Kuyt has revealed Tottenham Hotspur wanted to sign him before he joined the Merseyside club. Kuyt spent six seasons at Liverpool and made over 200 league appearances for the club.
Speaking to FourFourTwo, Kuyt was asked if any other clubs were interested signing him before he signed for Liverpool in 2006.
The Dutchman confirmed Tottenham had tried to bring him to England the previous year with compatriot Martin Jol keen to sign him. Kuyt said Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was also keen to land him, but his approach came too late in the transfer window.
“A year before I went to Liverpool, I had the opportunity to go to Spurs, where the manager was Martin Jol, and chairman Daniel Levy expressed an interest. But it was on deadline transfer day, and at the time I didn’t want to move,” said the former Netherlands international.
Kuyt was something of a cult hero whilst playing for Liverpool, and became favourite of the Anfield faithful. The 36-year-old scored over 50 Premier League goals for the Reds before joining Fenerbahce in 2012. Kuyt also won the League Cup during his time in England.
Tottenham’s Levy didn’t make the same mistake again signing a Dutch forward after he landed Vincent Janssen early in the last window. Even that transfer proved more difficult than it should have been, but Mauricio Pochettino got his man.
