Liverpool came close to signing Dani Alves before he was the world class right-back he is today - but chased two other very underwhelming targets instead.
Former Reds chief executive Rick Parry spent 12 years in charge of the Anfield club, and oversaw more or less all of their transfer dealings between 1997 and 2009, and he's revealed Alves was once on the club's radar.
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Alves is apparently on the verge of joining Manchester City after his contract at Juventus is cancelled, and he is without question one of the most decorated and exciting players of his generation, following a trophy-laden spell at Barcelona.
The Brazilian could have been playing in the Premier League much sooner in his career had things turned out differently.
In an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside, Parry revealed Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant were targeted instead of the Brazilian.
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He said:
"We had the deal - finally after enormous complications - tied up for Dani Alves and then the decision was should we buy two players or should we spend all of that on a full-back.
"Alves wasn't the player then that he is now. But he always looked like he would be a great player.
"Would he have been a better signing than [Jermaine] Pennant and [Peter] Crouch for example? Probably yes, but it's easy with hindsight.
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"Clearly, we were trying to make that final step. We didn't have Chelsea's money so we were trying to be smarter. Looking back, if I could do anything different, it would be to focus on buying one at a time rather than having to buy five or six every season."
Just imagine what Liverpool fans - and fans of the Premier League - have missed out on.
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But it looks as though Premier League enthusiasts will get to see Alves in action in the top-flight, with it almost a given that he's heading to Manchester City to reunite with Pep Guardiola.
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Topics: Liverpool, Dani Alves, Football