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Riza Durmisi opens up about his failed Liverpool transfer in 2017

Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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The Dane could have been a Liverpool player if it wasn’t for one former Reds defender.

Real Betis' Danish defender Riza Durmisi celebrates at the end of the Spanish league football match between Sevilla and Real Betis at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Sevilla on January 6,...

OGC Nice’s Riza Durmisi spoke to Tipsbladet about the reason why his move to Liverpool failed back at the start of 2017. 

Durmisi was in his first season at Real Betis where his performances reportedly caught the eye of Liverpool and many other clubs. 

The Reds had Alberto Moreno in the squad back then and Durmisi claims that the Spaniard’s decision to not leave Anfield was the reason why he couldn’t join Liverpool. 

He said: “It is my dream to become one of the best fullbacks in the world, and I believe that. Then there are many others who can laugh, but after my first year in Betis, you could see that something was happening. I had an official offer from Liverpool.”

“Moreno chose to stay. They had to get rid of him before it could happen, and that’s what I was waiting for. When you have as good a contract as Moreno had in Liverpool, he would stay, and I could understand that, but that he had to leave was something that had to happen before I could get there.”

Durmisi’s career hasn’t quite gone on as well as he would have hoped for. Lazio bought him in the summer of 2018 where he failed to establish himself as a regular starter. 

Alberto Moreno of Liverpool in action during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and FK Crvena Zvezda at Anfield on October 24, 2018 in Liverpool, United...

The Dane is now on loan at Nice and Liverpool certainly cannot regret missing out on him. The Reds bought Andy Robertson six months after Durmisi’s failed transfer and it is safe to say, that has been a phenomenal transfer for them.

Robertson has been one of the biggest reasons why Liverpool have been as successful as they have been over the last two years. 

Would Liverpool have moved for Robertson just six months after signing Durmisi? It certainly seems unlikely and Reds fans should thank Moreno for staying put which led to the club not signing the then Real Betis defender. 

Andrew Robertson of Liverpool controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Liverpool FC and Atletico Madrid at Anfield on March 11, 2020 in...