- Juninho Paulista had chance to join the Reds
- He regrets not staying in England
- What Liverpool could have been like with the Brazilian catalyst
Juninho Paulista has made a candid admission regarding a potential move to Liverpool, revealing he “wishes” he had made the switch to Anfield earlier in his career.
The Brazilian playmaker, who cemented his status as a Premier League legend during three spells with Middlesbrough, was a primary target for former Reds boss Roy Evans.
Despite lifting the League Cup at the Riverside in 2004, Juninho opted for a move to Celtic that summer a decision he now looks back on with an element of regret.
Speaking on the Brazilian podcast ‘Charla’, the World Cup winner opened up on the interest from Merseyside and his lingering desire to have stayed in the English top flight.
Juninho Paulista was an icon in the North East for Middlesbrough as he helped the side lift the League Cup in 2004, before leaving England that summer to join Celtic.
The 54-year-old said, “If I had the awareness I have today, I wouldn’t have left England. I would have gone to Liverpool or Tottenham.”
Liverpool had plenty of quality in front of goal, but failed to reach the heights of Arsenal and Manchester United when they pushed to sign the creator.
Juninho’s Premier League regret
The Brazilian playmaker had three stints at Boro, from 1995-97, 1999-2000 and 2002-04, where he made 150 appearances and registered 52 goal contributions.
While Juninho was busy terrorising top-flight defences in the North East, his performances hadn’t gone unnoticed on Merseyside.
Roy Evans, known for building a side with flair and attacking impetus, reportedly saw the Brazilian as the perfect creative spark to ignite his Liverpool midfield.
He was the first Brazilian to display his magic in England, which paved the path for future South Americans at Anfield, such as Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino.
At the end of 1997, he made the decision to move to the Spanish side, Atlético Madrid, before returning to Middlesbrough two years later.
Juninho claims he had interest from multiple top clubs in England as he neared the end of his stay at Middlesbrough.
“There was interest from Manchester United, but they didn’t pay what Middlesbrough wanted. I think it was £12 million. Ferguson didn’t want to pay.”
“Liverpool and Tottenham made offers.”
The Brazilian made the choice to look for something different in his career once his time at the Riverside was complete, but he regrets making that decision.
The timing of his eventual departure from England remains a sore point for many fans. In the summer of 2004, fresh off the back of Middlesbrough’s historic Carling Cup final victory over Bolton Wanderers, Juninho made the surprise decision to leave the Premier League for a stint in Scotland with Celtic.
It was a move that many felt happened too soon. At 31, the Brazilian still had plenty to offer at the highest level of English football.
Juninho himself now seems to agree with that sentiment, suggesting that his move to Glasgow was perhaps the wrong step when compared to the lure of staying in the Premier League.
How Juninho could have fit at Liverpool
In 1997, Evans was building an exciting team, as Liverpool declined in the early 90s, after dominating England for over two decades.
The Anfield outfit had plenty of attacking talent. From an ageing John Barnes, an exciting winger in 26-year-old Steve McManaman and two forwards in Robbie Fowler and teenager Michael Owen.
Juninho played mainly as an attacking midfielder during his time at Middlesbrough. Liverpool would often use a 4-4-2, but could shift to a system that utilised an attacking midfielder. The Brazilian would have competition from Patrick Berger, who moved to Merseyside from Borussia Dortmund in 1996.
At the end of the 1997/98 campaign, Liverpool would fail to pick up any silverware as they would end the season in 3rd. During the ‘Boot Room Boys’ time as a manager, the Reds failed to win anything, and it took until 2001 under new manager Gerard Houllier for Liverpool to lift a trophy.
While Liverpool fans are left to wonder how a midfield containing the likes of Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, and Juninho might have looked, Middlesbrough supporters will simply be grateful they were the ones who got to witness his prime.
Ultimately, Juninho’s admission serves as a reminder of an era where some of the world’s greatest talents didn’t just gravitate toward the “Big Six,” but fell in love with the passion of the English game wherever they landed.
