Ashley Young claims he turned down Liverpool transfer

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Current Manchester United star Ashley Young has claimed he actually turned down a move to Liverpool at the time of his switch to Old Trafford.

The 34-year-old had been voted into the PFA Team of the Year in 2008 and 2009 for his performances at Aston Villa, and his stock was high heading into the summer of 2011.

United sealed a deal for Young reported by BBC Sport to be worth around £17 million.

It was seemingly a relatively unproblematic move for the Red Devils to complete, but now Young has told of interest from Liverpool and also Manchester City.,

He told United’s official website: “My agent called me and said ‘Listen, you’re going into the last year of your contract, there are a few teams that are in for you’.

“He said Liverpool. We’d already spoken to [Manchester] City. Then he said United had come in. And I said ‘When am I meeting Sir Alex? Where’s the pen?’ There was no other place I wanted to go.”

Since signing for United, Young has gone on to make 257 appearances for the club.

TBR’s view – Liverpool fans won’t care much for Young’s admission

Liverpool fans are likely to take a dim view of Young’s claim now, given he plays for the arch-enemy.

At the time though, Young joining Liverpool would surely have been deemed a great transfer.

In the summer of 2011, the Reds wide options included Maxi Rodriguez, Craig Bellamy, new signing Stewart Downing and a 17-year-old Raheem Sterling.

Flop Milan Jovanovic left for Anderlecht and Joe Cole departed for Lille on loan.

That all said, the idea now of Young in a Liverpool shirt is surely not something any Reds fan will wish to think about.