Liverpool were on the verge of signing Antoine Griezmann through Commoli contacts

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Liverpool fans, try not to bang your head too hard against the wall when reading this article in the Daily Mail from 2010!

The internet and newspapers were less full of shoddy transfer rumours back then, and based on Damien Comolli’s comments, we reckon this story had genuine legs.

The archive article (which can be read if you follow the link in our opening line) claims Liverpool were close to wrapping up a £7m deal for Antoine Griezmann – the French attacker currently tearing up Euro 2016.

The Atletico Madrid forward scored a brace versus Germany in the semi-final last night, making it six goals for the tournament. The world is now recognising him as one of the planet’s best players, and at 25, Griezmann looks set to join Neymar in the list of likely eventual successors to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the pursuit of Balon d’Ors.

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Griezmann was just 19 back in 2010 and a promising talent at Real Sociedad, but our former Director of Football Damien Comolli (who did some horrible work in the transfer market, as well as some good), told reporters targets had been decided upon when asked about Liverpool’s interest.

“We have identified targets. If there’s a possibility of us getting a world-class player, we will have the backing,” he said. “John (Henry) and Tom (Werner) want to win – and you win with top players.”

In January 2011, Liverpool sold Fernando Torres and signed Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, but imagine if instead of the leaden £35m striker, we’d have snapped up Griezmann alongside the legendary Uruguayan!

It wasn’t meant to be, and Griezmann would eventually join Diego Simeone’s Atletico side in 2014. The rest, as they say – is history.

 

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