Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, Laudrup explained: "I had the opportunity to sign for Liverpool. We actually agreed a deal and I came over with my father to talk to Liverpool’s representatives.
"We agreed a three-year contract and went away thinking it was all done. But two weeks later they came back saying they wanted to offer me the same package, but for four years because I was still young and needed time to develop.
"I was disappointed because although nothing had been signed, we had an agreement. I decided not to join them and people thought I was crazy. This 19-year-old was turning down the great Liverpool. It wasn’t really like that though.
“I just felt an agreement is an agreement and people should stick to what they decide. After that, I had other offers and went on to join Juventus. That’s football for you.”
The club’s side, from the then chief exec Peter Robinson:
"Michael turned out to be a wonderful player, but I firmly believe we made the right decision at the time because he was demanding terms and conditions in his contract that were impossible for us to meet.
"The main stumbling block was that he wanted the option to be able to just walk away after a short period if he felt things weren’t working out. From our point of view, this just did not make any business sense.
“Over the years it was very rare for a player to turn Liverpool down but it wasn’t something we dwelt on. It was just a case of moving on and identifying another target.”
Been following football for over 40 years. Contract talks break down for all sorts of reasons, and both parties have to do what’s best for them. No use getting your knickers in a twist with he said she said.
It will be unfortunate if Salah leaves us with such a bad taste in our mouths. I have a feeling that in addition to the money, the length of the extension has also been an issue.
I think the club’s stand on the front three was decided in the summer:
Extend the contracts if they agree to our proposals.
Sell them this summer if an acceptable offer comes.
Optimize their contributions and let them go for free in 2023.
We are in a transition period and we will face hard choices during this time. I think FSG is making the right decisions.
That was many matches and a few players ago.
Play that match with our strongest current backline and midfield and a front three of Mane - Jota/Bobby - Diaz
and I would be expecting us to win (assaults permitting).
If hes not signing a new contract I would sell him to Newsandcastle for as much as possible and watch him regret it like Torres, Coutinho and Gini. He would be a big loss but the club has shown in the past no player is irreplaceable and the club finds another player or another way to continue being successful.
With the money available to be earned in football these days…
MO could sign for 3yrs on a less favourable amount (in his agents eyes at least)… Continue to enjoy the ride with us, continue having the adulation from the best supporters in the world… then head to America or the likes and re-coup his earnings that way… He has become a global name because of his goal scoring feats only because of the manner Jurgen set up his teams to accommodate his talent …
I’ve no issue with Laudrup in re the negotiations.
I don’t like that he spent the summer of '92 sipping sangria on the beaches of Southern Spain, shitting on his national team, who went on to win the Euros without him.
Or that he rocked up in Swansea and claimed a midfield of Leon Britton and Joe Allen were “too small to play pass and move”. To this day, I have no idea what that means.
Or that he hangs around fancy bars in Copenhagen, talking down to the staff.
Surely an excellent player but a bullet dodged.
No comment on his daughter.
I’m not sure the agent is looking for Mo to run his contract down. My guess would be the noise in the media is to get people bidding for a move this summer if he cant extract the sort of wage package he and Mo are looking for, while making himself a nuisance to the club so that they allow a move to happen and perhaps at a lower fee than they would otherwise except.
Mo (and/or his agent) seem to have forgotten that Jurgen is the only coach he has shown anywhere like world class form or won anything of note. I’m not sure that he would replicate his best form in a different setup and an extra 20% over a couple of seasons of comparative misery doesn’t seem like something he’ll be happy with. Pick up the phone and call Gini, Mo! Even better, Virgil ask Gini to call Mo!
Only one club can afford his demands in the league… Newcastle… just think on that… Mo is allowing his snake of an agent to say he is open to joining that club, a club bank rolled by scumbag owners.
The other club is PSG who have apparently made it known they can offer around £600k a week.
Just let that sink in, he is basically open to joining soulless, human rights abusing country funded clubs rather than earn here more than he could have ever imagined when he was punted off to Roma after struggling at Chelsea.
I suppose lets not go too far re Salah. Contract negotiations can be fraught and we may be better waiting until something concrete occurs and there is always a chance a deal is still worked out - either we offer slightly different terms or Mo doesn’t get the interest he expected etc. I was the dickhead saying we should flog Mo off last season if we could get in Mbappe but at this point in time he’s in our team and we should be supporting him to help us win some silverware this season. Lets leave the ‘legend’ talk etc until after a player has retired. For me none of the current team are at that level yet - VVD is closest and TAA looks most likely - but several could join the list if we can pickup the big trophies at the end of season.
I’ve not said his legend is tarnished, more his credibility that it’s not all about money is being eroded away as it is clearly what is driving everything.
The main problem is them doing it all in public, it’s gutter level negotiations. And based on what we are trying to achieve this season and doing it at this point all sits very poorly. It lacks class.
% IMO.