I rejected Tottenham and Roma to sign for Liverpool – the fee now amazes me

Emile Heskey has revealed how rejected the advances of a number of clubs in favour of completing a record move to Liverpool.

Emile Heskey has revealed he rejected a number of clubs to complete a record move to Liverpool. The England international joined the Reds in an £11m switch in March 2000 and went on to enjoy four successful years at Anfield.

Scoring 60 goals for the club, he was a key member of the team that won the treble in 2001. He also lifted both the European Super Cup and Community Shield in the same year before winning a second League Cup in 2003.

Gerard Houllier had been keen to partner Heskey with Michael Owen upfront for Liverpool having previously been impressed by the pair’s partnership and England youth level.

And Heskey has revealed how he only had eyes for the Reds once he learned of their interest as he snubbed advances from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Roma in the process.

“To be honest, from 16, I’d had, because you play with the national team from a young age, you kind of get attached to someone – people saying they want that player, blah, blah, blah,” he recalled to Joe Cole and Ashley Cole on the ‘Football’s Greatest’ podcast.

“And I’d been looked at from the age of 16, but I wanted to play for Leicester. I wanted to establish myself. And I was on a bit of a roll there as well.

“But then you get to a point where in five years we’d been to four (finals) to the playoff final and three League Cup finals. And you’re like, what’s next? I was an international player by then as well.

“So you’re like, okay, well, let’s have a look at where we can go next. And that’s trying to win titles. Liverpool was my club and I could have gone to Villa, Spurs, could have gone to Dortmund.

“Roma were looking as well, but at the time I wanted to stay in the Premier League and I wanted to go to Liverpool. Then that came about.

“I was 22 and I was happy with how I was. I knew what I was bringing so I didn’t really overthink who I was up against. What club am I going to go to and where am I going to play, that was my thing.

“But I never really overthought that. I met with Gerard (Houllier) and he said he was bringing me in to play alongside Michael (Owen).”

Meanwhile, Heskey insists he never thought about the record £11m transfer fee at the time as he enjoyed a strong start at Liverpool.

But he admits now, 25 years on, that he is much conscious of the fact that he was once the Reds’ record signing.

“The fee is the fee, I can’t do anything about it, but it was a lot at the time,” he said. “I never thought about it at the time to be honest, it’s only when I look back I go, ‘Wow, okay.’

“The toughest part of moving to a club is are you going to hit the ground running and I was lucky enough to do that.”

Tears of Joy: Isaac Kearney’s Mum Shares the Most Heartwarming News Today

Today, Liverpool fans everywhere have something truly special to smile about.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived — and it’s even more emotional than we could have imagined.

In a touching message shared earlier today, Isaac Kearney’s mum delivered the incredible news:

“So…… The news you have all been waiting for
We have just VERY KINDLY been gifted tickets from Ian at Travel4Football for tomorrow’s game Honestly I could cry!
Isaac’s going to be sooo happy and what a day it’s going to be!
Not only has Ian pulled it out the bag for us tomorrow, but all year round…. Sorting us out with transport to Wembley and also gifting us tickets to attend other home games… He hasn’t asked for 0 in return! But I just wanted to do an appreciation post! Because they definitely deserve it ”

The excitement, the gratitude, and the sheer happiness in her words perfectly capture what this means — not just to Isaac, but to everyone who has followed his journey.
For a young Liverpool fan, getting the chance to attend such an important game is more than just a ticket — it’s a dream turned into reality.

Huge appreciation goes out to Ian at Travel4Football, whose selfless acts of kindness have made unforgettable memories for Isaac and his family. It’s moments like these that remind us why football is more than just a game — it’s about community, generosity, and making dreams come true.

Tomorrow promises to be an unforgettable day for young Isaac, and no doubt, he will carry this joy with him for a lifetime.

Stay tuned — because the best is yet to come for this special young fan.

Liverpool fans are not happy with Darwin Nunez after spotting what he posted on social media just one day before they could win the Premier League title.

On Sunday afternoon, Arne Slot’s Liverpool will win the 2024/25 Premier League title if they can get a win or draw out of their match with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

Ahead of the match, several of Liverpool’s star players have spoken out about the importance of winning the title this season, with captain Virgil van Dijk asking fans attending the match to wear red to add to the occasion.

One player who has stayed relatively quiet throughout Liverpool’s run-in for the title is Nunez, but now it appears that he’s finally spoken out, fans are furious.

Since arriving from Benfica in the summer of 2022 as part of a €75 million (£64 million) deal, Nunez has largely been a disappointment at Liverpool, failing to reach the heights that many thought he could achieve in red.

When Slot replaced legendary manager Jurgen Klopp at the start of the season, some had hoped that things would change for the Liverpool striker, but it appears that this will not happen, leading to rumours Nunez could leave in the summer.

In what appears to be a now-deleted post on his X account, the 25-year-old wrote: “No wonder I don’t play more, because the last game I started in the Premier League went well and suddenly…”

Shortly after it was posted, Nunez’s alleged comment was taken down and replaced with a different post showing off a selfie of himself and teammate Alexis Mac Allister and one of his tea with the simple caption: “Good morning!”

Nunez also decided to change the profile picture of his X account shortly after he allegedly deleted the post.

https://x.com/SamueILFC/status/1916054934845317136?t=D1FPPJbQqiHR_r7glbqjvw&s=19

But that didn’t stop eagle-eyed Liverpool fans from spotting the initial post and sharing it online, and it’s safe to say they aren’t happy.

Reacting to the initial comment, one fan wrote: “Darwin Nunez is a moron. We all wanted it to work but it hasn’t. He’s childish and not worth the hassle. Simple as that.”

Another frustrated fan added: “Darwin Nunez career is officially over. Just freeze him out and sell him in the summer.”

And one disappointed fan claimed: “He’s just too emotional, isn’t he? The highs are amazing and his goals hit, but the lows are LOW.

“It’s a shame, he has all the tools but he just can’t put them all together consistently enough to be elite. I think this has sealed his fate, it it already wasn’t sealed.”

Liverpool Fans React as Isaac Kearney’s Mum Explains Why He Won’t Be Inside Anfield for the Sunday Game

The Liverpool fanbase has once again shown just how powerful its heart can be.

Over the past few days, social media has been buzzing with questions and concern surrounding young Liverpool supporter, Isaac Kearney. The pint-sized footballer, who recently went viral for captaining his local team to a league title, has captured the hearts of fans across the world—Reds and even rivals alike.

Liverpool fans could not believe that their manager’s real name is not really “Arne Slot”.

Slot, 46, is likely to become a Premier League-winning manager when his Liverpool side face Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday, with the Reds needing just a point to be crowned champions.

As a result, he will be one of the most popular men on Merseyside. And when such achievements occur, several pets and even some children may likely be named “Arne” as a nod to the Dutchman.

But that isn’t actually his name, which fans found out to their surprise.

One fan said: “Mad when you find out the manager’s name isn’t actually Arne.”

Another added: “Just googled this. Not sure I’ll ever recover.”

A third commented: “This is how myths and legends die. Delete and we’ll pretend it never happened.”

While a fourth explained: “Like finding out Pepe Reina’s name was Jose the whole time.”

So what is the Liverpool head coach’s real name?

Well, according to Wikipedia the Dutchman’s name is “Arend Martijn Slot”.

And of course, his name will not be the talking point if Liverpool secure their 20th English top-flight title on Sunday.

Despite the excitement in the city in the days ahead, Slot is not one to get over excited and revealed he has allowed two days off for his players to be “fully focused” ahead of the clash against Spurs.

“I have to wait and see because I haven’t experienced it here yet but what I know from my time with Feyenoord is that of course there is a lot of noise and everybody is very excited, but at our training ground we are just focused on the training sessions we do and trying to prepare in the best possible way for Tottenham, which is a team where all the injuries are coming back and are a team that deserves our full attention,” said Slot in his post-match press conference after the Reds’ 1-0 win against Leicester last Sunday.

“The boys also have one or two days off during this week because we’ve planned that already a long time ago and hopefully they will enjoy some time with their loved ones and be fully focused when we are back together to work towards Tottenham.”

“We Won’t Be Attending the Game…” – Isaac Kearney’s Mum Shares a Heartfelt Message That Will Move Every Liverpool Fan

As Liverpool edges closer to Premier League glory, emotions are running high among fans—but for one young supporter and his family, this weekend holds even deeper meaning.

Isaac Kearney, a passionate young Liverpool fan known by many in the Anfield community, won’t be watching Sunday’s massive clash against Tottenham Hotspur from the stands. His mum shared a touching update today that has stirred hearts across the fan base:

 “We won’t be attending the game, but we will be heading down to Anfield early to soak the atmosphere and watch it down there What a day it will be.”

It’s a simple statement, but behind those words lies a story of love, resilience, and the unshakable spirit of Liverpool fans.

This Sunday, April 27th, Liverpool hosts Tottenham at Anfield, with kickoff at 4:30 PM BST. The Reds need just one point to officially seal the Premier League title—a moment fans have dreamed of all season. For Isaac and his family, being close to the club, even outside the stadium, is more than enough.

They won’t be in the seats, but they’ll be where it matters most: in the heart of Anfield’s passion. Soaking in the cheers, the songs, the unity. Feeling the energy of a club that’s more than just football—it’s family.

Isaac’s story reminds us all that football is about more than goals and trophies. It’s about moments. It’s about connection. It’s about showing up—even when life throws you curveballs—and standing tall in the crowd.

As the anthem rings out and the game begins, thousands will be watching… and somewhere outside those gates, one boy’s dreams will still shine brightly. To Isaac, there’s no giving up.

Fans can’t believe what Crystal Palace posted moments after Arsenal draw to leave Liverpool on brink of the title

Fans were left stunned by what Crystal Palace posted to X in the moments after their 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday.

Heading into the match, both teams’ attentions were arguably on other competitions as Palace will take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, while Arsenal have a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final with PSG to look forward to next Tuesday.

However, Wednesday’s clash proved to be an entertaining affair, especially for Liverpool fans who watched on in anticipation as a Palace win would’ve seen them crowned as Premier League champions.

The Gunners took the lead through Jakub Kiwior just three minutes in, but Oliver Glasner’s side fought back and equalised thanks to an Eberechi Eze volley on 27 minutes.

Three minutes before half time, Leandro Trossard put the home side ahead, but once again the Eagles equalised, this time via Jean-Phillipe Mateta, who netted a spectacular long-range strike with seven minutes left.

And despite the action on the pitch, it was what Palace posted to their social media channels that really got fans talking.

At 10:09 pm (BST), the Croydon club posted: “You’re welcome Liverpool…” to social media, seemingly about the fact Arne Slot’s side can now win the league in front of their supporters if they defeat Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday.

And fans were quick to give their thoughts on social media.

One said: “I forgive you for 2014.

“Good luck on Saturday lads!”

Another added: “I had to do a double take on the profile I deadass thought this was a troll account.”

A third explained: “Absolute legends. What a performance. Deserved to win. Forgive 1990 FA Cup semi, now.”

While a fourth commented: “If you’d made me guess which team made a tweet like this we’d all guess Palace. Steve Parish probably wrote it himself.

“Meant to be a Premier League club and they go on like they’re in League Two.”

Speaking after the match, Palace head coach Glasner expressed his delight with side’s performance.

“I’m really proud of the players and how they performed today,” Glasner told Palace TV.

“Also, being 1-0 down – and in the last two away games we conceded 10 goals – and then playing here at Emirates against an Arsenal side who are in great shape, it’s a tricky situation.

“But the reaction was great – it was unbelievable to be honest. We didn’t lose anything of our courage, we didn’t lose anything of our belief, and then we played forward. I think it was a really well-deserved draw, coming back twice.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure from Liverpool is in fresh doubt.

Liverpool supporters are resigned to losing their right-back, who has been on the books at his boyhood club for more than 20 years, when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Reds are on the cusp of their second title win of the Premier League era and have announced chunky new deals for both Mo Salah and captain Virgil van Dijk this month.

Alexander-Arnold is expected to leave in the summer, having won everything there is to win with Liverpool and been tempted away by the challenge of playing for Real Madrid.

But it’s been reported that the England star’s switch to the Spanish capital is not as inevitable as Liverpool winning the title.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the expected sacking of Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti changes the picture.

Ancelotti was instrumental in attracting Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu, according to Brown, and Football Insider reports that “the 26-year-old is believed to be asking questions and having second thoughts about the move” as a result.

“The right-back is also under pressure from fans and the club to stay at Anfield.”

With no deal agreed, Alexander-Arnold has the luxury of choice. Deciding to join Real Madrid on the basis of the head coach alone comes with obvious risk and Ancelotti is unlikely to have been the only factor in the player’s thinking.

A reunion with Jurgen Klopp is just one of the possible outcomes.

“I think there’s a chance he stays at Liverpool,” said Brown.

“It’s gone on throughout the season, there’s been so much talk, but it’s not signed yet.

“It looks to me like Madrid are entering a rebuilding phase, and that will cause uncertainty for Trent Alexander-Arnold because he might not fit under a new manager.”

Alexander-Arnold has won the Premier League and Champions League in a Liverpool shirt but is thought to be ready to call time on his time in England’s top division and prove himself at one of very few clubs that can further test his abilities.

He scored the goal that put Liverpool within one win of the title in Sunday’s win at Leicester City, revealing nothing and everything in his post-match interview on the pitch.