'I made Liverpool boss choke in shock after I turned them down for Man Utd' Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier “almost choked” on his lunch after seeing Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled as a new Manchester United signing in 2003.
In his six years under Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo won eight major honours, including three Premier League titles and the Champions League, before leaving to become Real Madrid ’s all-time top goal scorer.
Former assistant coach Phil Thompson recalled going to dinner with Ronaldo’s agent in Lisbon to iron out the details, only for the forward to join the Reds’ bitter rivals.
Thompson had some reservations about Ronaldo’s wage demands, but the winger had a growing reputation, with Liverpool already fighting off the likes of Barcelona, Juventus and Arsenal for his signature.
While personal terms still needed to be finalised, Thompson left Lisbon believing the club had a deal in place, only to be shocked a few months later.
