'I am a Liverpool cult hero – I was close to signing for Man Utd but move was too big for me'

This Swiss defender spent five-and-a-half years astatine Anfield and developed into a sanction adored by fans - but helium could person starred for rivals Manchester United had helium preferred

Former Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz admitted helium was connected the verge of joining Manchester United earlier becoming a cult leader connected Merseyside.

Partnering Sami Hyypia astatine the basal of the Reds’ defence, Swiss ace Henchoz rapidly developed into a instrumentality favourite astatine Anfield aft joining successful 1999, kitting retired over 200 times for the club.

Battling done injuries, Rafael Benitez's preference for Jamie Carragher implicit Henchoz spelt an extremity to his Liverpool tenure. He jumped vessel successful 2005 earlier making a instrumentality to his archetypal English club, Blackburn Rovers, successful 2006. But, things could person been precise antithetic for the now-50-year-old.

Henchoz has present admitted that, earlier joining Rovers successful 1997, helium was fixed the accidental to deterioration a different, conscionable arsenic palmy shadiness of reddish arsenic an connection from Liverpool's rivals United sat connected the table.

“It's true, I was adjacent to signing for Manchester United successful 1997,” Henchoz revealed, speaking astatine the motorboat of Ladbrokes' Gaffer of each Accas.

“When I was playing for Hamburg, and earlier I signed for Blackburn, I'd had 2 bully seasons. I was 23, and Man United were looking for a centre-back, and that's erstwhile my sanction would've travel up connected their list.

“So yes, I could person had the accidental to play for them, but for me, I thought that nine was excessively large for me. I didn't privation to spell there, due to the fact that I conscionable couldn't spot however I was going to get successful up of their existent options successful my position.”

At that time, the Red Devils were impervious nether Sir Alex Ferguson, and Henchoz would person had a young Wes Brown, David May, Ronny Johnson and Gary Pallister to vie with successful the position.

“I would not person played," Henchoz continued. "I'd person possibly played a cupful crippled here, oregon a mates of league games there. I'd person had to person waited excessively agelong to get my chance, truthful I thought it would beryllium excessively large a measurement for me.”

Henchoz past credits erstwhile England brag Roy Hodgson with convincing him to interaction down astatine Ewood Park, lone to marque his palmy determination to Liverpool 2 seasons later.

“Roy Hodgson was idiosyncratic I knew from the Swiss nationalist team, and he'd taken implicit astatine Blackburn - I'd already spoken with him and I knew Blackburn were a bully team, and fixed that the manager knew me, I thought Blackburn was a safer choice,” helium explained.

“So, the program was to spell to the Premier League, accommodate with Blackburn, and past spot what happens... and we each cognize what happened; I played 2 seasons astatine Blackburn, did OK and moved to Liverpool. At the extremity of the day, I'm rather blessed with my choice!”

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