‘I made up my mind about joining Liverpool after just one phone call’ | Football | Sport

Hugo Viana, who was once in discussions to join Liverpool in the early 2000s, ultimately opted for Newcastle following a conversation with then-manager Sir Bobby Robson. As the transfer deadline looms, supporters may reflect on past potential deals, including one involving Viana and the Reds.

The Portuguese midfielder, now director of football at Manchester City, made a name for himself in 2001 with an outstanding debut season for Sporting CP. Viana, just 19 when he made his high-profile move to the Premier League, was hailed by then-Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd as “just the player Robson wants to spearhead our Champions League bid.”

He further added: “The consensus is that he’s the best young player in the world.”

Liverpool also had their sights set on the young talent, with Gerard Houllier and Abel Xavier encouraging him to join Anfield and become a fan favourite.

However, a single phone call with Robson swayed Viana’s decision, as Robson’s current position and previous tenure at Sporting convinced him to choose Newcastle. He recalled: “At the time of the 2002 World Cup, I still had not decided on where I wanted to go. There were a few clubs interested in me.

“I spoke on the phone with Gerard Houllier at Liverpool and one of my (Portugal) team-mates, Abel Xavier, was always telling me to go there. Liverpool are obviously a huge club, and I was very confused and unsure about what I wanted to do, but then I spoke to Bobby Robson and after five or ten minutes, I was clear about Newcastle.

“I told him that they needed to speak to Sporting about a deal, but that there would not be a big issue with my contract. Mr Robson said he knew me; he’d watched some games at Sporting and in the Under-21 European Championships.

“He also worked at Sporting and is a legend in Portugal, so I felt more close to him and he told me he would give me time to adapt to life in England without worrying. In the end, I joined Newcastle without visiting the place first, but it is an amazing city and the fans are very passionate about football; they live for it and the atmosphere was great.”

Viana failed to live up to expectations in English football. Across 61 matches for Newcastle, he managed just four goals and provided nine assists.

Despite underwhelming performances in the Premier League, the ex-midfielder harbours no regrets about his spell on Tyneside or any chapter of his playing days. He reflected: “During my career, I never wanted to imagine ‘What if?

‘”At the time of the 2002 World Cup, I still had not decided on where I wanted to go. I think it is a waste of time to think about these things. I’m not sad about my career.

“It could be better, sure, but it could be worse. I never look back and think what could be. It doesn’t change anything; things happen without your control and it is important to adapt yourself to reality.”