A move to Liverpool would be a dream come true for many footballers around the globe – but that doesn't mean the Reds haven't been on the receiving end of a some stinging rejections. Arne Slot got his first taste of it last summer when a £51million deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi fell through at the last minute.

Much to Liverpool's frustration, Zubimendi chose to stay at his boyhood club, though it hasn't taken him long to change his mind. He now looks poised to join Arsenal, most likely in the summer, suggesting that the 25-year-old believes he may have made the wrong call in saying no to Liverpool with Sociedad having endured a tougher campaign than last.

With that in mind, ECHO have cobbled together a list of big-name footballers who are understood to have turned down a switch to Anfield at one stage. We're detailing where they went instead, what happened next, and crucially whether or not it was the right call.

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Jude Bellingham

For large periods in 2022, Jude Bellingham joining Liverpool looked like a foregone conclusion. The England superstar was seen cosying up to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson at the 2022 World Cup, and had been rubber-stamped as the Reds' No.1 transfer target.

But whether Dortmund's asking price was too high, or the allure of playing for Real Madrid was too great, Liverpool ended up pulling out of the race just a few weeks before the midfielder's £87m (potentially rising to £112m) Bernabeu switch was confirmed in 2023. The club were then forced to look on in envy as Bellingham hit the ground running at Madrid, scoring, rather ridiculously, 14 goals in his first 15 matches.

He ended the calendar year by winning the prestigious Golden Boy award, given to the world's best U21 footballer, and went on to fire Carlo Ancelotti's side to both La Liga and Champions League glory at the end of his dazzling debut campaign.

For his troubles, Bellingham was named La Liga Player of the Year, and finished third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or. He's started the 2024/25 season at a slightly slower pace, but remains, comfortably, one of Madrid's, and the world's greatest players.

Was it the right call to reject Liverpool? Yes. Put simply: Bellingham and Real Madrid have, from day one, been a match made in heaven.

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo was so often the scourge of Liverpool during his initial Manchester United stint, but things could have been different had the Portugal legend picked Anfield over Old Trafford in 2003. Back then, Ronaldo was strutting his stuff for Sporting Lisbon, and caught the eye of then-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, who spotted the young winger in the Toulon U21 tournament.

Liverpool made a seriously play for Ronaldo, but couldn't agree personal terms with the ambitious teenager. A few weeks later, United faced Sporting in a pre-season friendly, and Sir Alex Ferguson was smitten. Ronaldo signed for United shortly after, and the rest is history.

He quickly blossomed into of the greatest players and most ruthless goalscorers the game has ever seen. After winning the Ballon d'Or, the Champions League and three Premier Leagues in Manchester, Ronaldo sealed a world record £80m move to Real Madrid, where more Ballons d'Or, league titles and Champions Leagues followed.

A spell at Juventus and one back at United followed, before Ronaldo secured a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in 2022. The 39-year-old, who'll turn 40 next month, is still going strong, with 19 goals in 22 games so far this season.

Was it the right call? Yes. Despite the odd bright season, Liverpool weren't as strong or successful as United and Real Madrid were during Ronaldo's prime years.

Moises Caicedo

Liverpool famously almost hijacked Chelsea's move for Moises Caicedo back in 2023, but the Ecuadorian, whose heart was set on Stamford Bridge, said no. Having spent much of the summer negotiating a deal for Romeo Lavia, the Reds abruptly changed course and lodged a £111m bid for Caicedo, which was accepted by the midfielder's employers, Brighton.

Chelsea, however, wrestled back control by swiftly agreeing a £115m deal with the Seagulls, and, after having built a rapport with Caicedo and his representatives earlier in the year, convinced the youngster to reject Liverpool. To add insult to injury, the Blues snapped up Lavia too, though neither he nor Caicedo managed to hit the ground running in west London.

The latter's form picked up mid-way through the 2023/24 season, and he gradually began justifying his gigantic price tag. This season he's been even better, shining as both an impenetrable rock in Chelsea's midfield and as an unlikely force to be reckoned with going forward.

Was it the right call? No. While Chelsea's ambitious project under Todd Boehly may well end up bearing fruit, Liverpool have been outperforming the Blues in almost every metric since 2023, and you can't help but think that Caicedo has been glancing enviously at what's been happening in the red half of Merseyside recently.

Dennis Bergkamp

The thought of Dennis Bergkamp donning a Premier League shirt other than Arsenal's is a strange one, but it very nearly happened. Prior to the elegant Dutchman's 1995 move to Highbury, Liverpool were interested in signing him.

He'd had something of a disappointing stint at Inter Milan, making his £7.5m asking price seem a little steep (for context, the world transfer record at the time was £11m). Ultimately, Bergkamp chose Arsenal over Liverpool, and after a slow start to life in England, he truly came alive.

He was named PFA Player of the Year in 1997/98 after firing the Gunners to Premier League glory that season, and was a key part of both the club's double-winning team in 2001/02, and their 'Invincibles' side in 2003/04. Bergkamp retired in 2006 after calling time on his Arsenal career, having scored 120 goals across a trophy-laden 11-year stint in north London.

Was it the right call? Yes. While Liverpool enjoyed some success during Bergkamp's spell in England, Arsenal were a far more dominant force, and, unlike the Reds, were consistently competing for – and winning – the highest honours.

Dele Alli

Dele Alli looked set to become English football's next superstar after emerging from MK Dons' academy in 2012. Interest from the country's top clubs came thick and fast, with Liverpool and Tottenham pushing hardest.

Alli was a Liverpool fan growing up, so the Reds felt they had the edge. However, they couldn't agree terms with either MK Dons or Alli, opening the door for an £8m switch to Spurs. There, Alli's career took off, as expected.

He netted 10 Premier League goals in his debut season at White Hart Lane, and followed it up with an 18-goal haul in the next campaign. He also scored a wondergoal on his England bow against France and quickly established himself as a Three Lions regular.

However, almost inexplicably, Alli's form began to dip around 2019, and it wasn't long before his place in Tottenham's first team was under threat. Jose Mourinho's arrival later that year didn't help, and he was soon pushed to the peripheries of the squad.

An unsuccessful spell at Everton followed, as did a loan switch to Besiktas, with neither move particularly reinvigorating the two-time PFA Young Player of the Year. Earlier this month, the now 28-year-old signed for Serie A club Como, and is waiting to make his debut.

Was it the right call? No. There's no denying that Alli's move to Tottenham helped launch him to superstardom, but you can't help but wonder if his mid-career collapse would have been averted if he'd been playing for another side, like, say, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, who went on to beat Alli and Spurs in the 2019 Champions League final.

Diego Costa

After losing Luis Suarez to Barcelona in the summer of 2014, Liverpool were keen to replace one goalscoring maverick with another. At the time, Diego Costa was arguably the hottest centre forward on the market, having just blasted 36 goals in all competitions for Atletico Madrid the season prior.

But, lured by the promise of playing under Mourinho, the combative striker picked Chelsea over Liverpool, with the Reds signing Rickie Lambert instead. At Stamford Bridge, Costa took the Premier League by storm, smashing seven goals in his first four games. Injury issues curtailed him slightly, but he ended his debut campaign with 21 goals and both a League Cup and Premier League winners' medal.

The Brazilian-born former Spain international spent two further seasons in west London, with his goals helping Chelsea clinch another Premier League title in the latter. He was then forced out of the squad by then-Blues manager Antonio Conte, and ended up returning to Atletico in 2018.

Three years later he moved back to his native Brazil, with a brief stint at Wolves sandwiched between spells at Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo. The now 36-year-old currently plays for Gremio.

Was it the right call? Yes. While a move to Liverpool might have helped the Reds stave off their post-Suarez dip in form, there's no question that Chelsea were a far stronger team throughout Costa's short reign there. He was also an absolutely perfect Mourinho centre forward, and likely wouldn't have suited the high-octane style of a Klopp – who took over at Liverpool a few months after Costa's rejection – team.

Gareth Barry

Many Liverpool supporters were left aghast when Rafa Benitez wanted Gareth Barry to replace Xabi Alonso in 2008. In the end, both Barry and Alonso had to wait 12 months to seal their respective moves, with the latter joining Real Madrid, and the former left with a choice between the Reds and Manchester City.

With the groundwork already laid, Liverpool felt pretty confident of landing the Aston Villa midfielder, but City flexed their recently-acquired financial muscle to snatch the Englishman from under their noses – with the Reds having to settle for Alberto Aquiliani instead.

At the Etihad Stadium, Barry played a central role in the team's rise from newly-minted Champions League hopefuls to Premier League title challengers, and was nearly ever-present in their glorious 2011/12 title-clinching campaign. However, he lost his place in the side where Manuel Pellegrini replaced Roberto Mancini in 2013, and was subsequently loaned to Everton.

He made the move to Goodison Park permanent in 2014, and spent a further three seasons on Merseyside before leaving for West Brom in 2017. Barry retired in 2020 after two seasons with the Baggies in the Championship.

Was it the right call? Yes. Barry might have had a longer career at the top had he joined Liverpool instead of City, but there's no denying that the Citizens achieved far more than the Reds did during Barry's reign and several years beyond.

Mo Salah

What's that? Mo Salah didn't reject Liverpool, you say? Not true, actually. The Reds spent the bulk of 2013 ogling Salah as he sparkled for FC Basel, and were preparing to swoop for him in 2014.

But Chelsea sprung into action, having suffered at Salah's hands in the Champions League that season, and hijacked Liverpool's move. However, the Egyptian struggled at Stamford Bridge, and found it hard to get game-time with Eden Hazard and Willian ahead of him in the pecking order.

In 2015, Salah was loaned to Fiorentina, and then to Roma, before making the latter move permanent in 2016. A year, after watching him sink 19 goals in all competitions, Liverpool made another play for Salah, and snapped him up for £36.5m.

In the eight seasons since, Salah has netted over 230 times, been crowned the PFA Player of the Year twice, and fired Liverpool to both Premier League and Champions League glory. After entering the final few months of his contract, his future at Anfield is uncertain. But what is certain is that Salah will go down as one of the greatest players in Premier League history.

Was it the right call? Yes. Although his 2014 move to Chelsea failed spectacularly, it sparked his move to Italy, where he subsequently flourished and re-acquired Liverpool's attention. Additionally, the Reds had Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge in their attack back then, so getting game-time might have been as tough on Merseyside as it was in west London.