Guilherme Siqueira has revealed Real Madrid’s interest in acquiring his services convinced him to snub an opportunity to join Liverpool during his playing career.
The 35-year-old spent time in Italy, Spain and Portugal before announcing his retirement in August 2018, a year after being without a club.
Siqueira returned to Spain when Granada signed him in 2010. During his time with them, the former left-back attracted interest from Liverpool in 2013, when Brendan Rodgers was in charge at Anfield.
The Reds even submitted a concrete offer to sign the Brazilian, but he rejected the chance to move to the Premier League side because of Real Madrid.
AS interviewed Siqueira and he revealed details about Liverpool when asked why his move to Real Madrid didn’t take shape in 2013.
“Yes, of course (laughs). August 31, 2013. That day. When I finished the season with Granada, I was talking to some clubs, Madrid among them,” he said.
“If it wasn’t Madrid, it would be another club. Liverpool, other teams also from the Premier League had shown interest. And when I least expected it, the last day of the market.
“That I woke up on August 31 and had nothing. At eleven in the morning, I receive a call from my representative telling me about Benfica. I had teammates who had played there and had told me very good things about the club and I told him: ‘Let’s go’.
“And when we were getting on the plane, an offer came from Manchester United for Coentrao and Madrid called us: they want me to show up in Madrid to be able to sign, and I was on the plane to leave for Lisbon!
“So, I said to my representative: ‘But what do I do now?’ (laughs). For me it was a prize to go to Madrid. When I got to Lisbon, I turned on my mobile and I had calls from the president of Granada, from my representatives and, of course, from the people of Portugal.”
Manchester United were unable to sign Fábio Coentrao in the summer of 2013 and he was forced to continue at Real Madrid, with reports at the time saying he’d even been in tears as the move slipped away. This all saw Siqueira join Benfica on a loan deal during the 2013/14 season.
