Playing for a club like Liverpool is the dream of so many different footballers all over the sport. The Reds are one of the most iconic teams in the world and with a history as decorated as theirs, it’s hardly surprising to see that they’re held in such high regard by so many people. With 19 league titles, six Champions League trophies and a plethora of other silverware in their cabinet, the club has a very impressive legacy. Pair that with the reputation their fans have as some of the most passionate in the sport, it’s easy to see why players want to represent a team such as Liverpool.
Not everyone has that wish, though. In fact, some have had the chance to move to Anfield and have outright turned it down. There have been a variety of reasons as to why a player rejected the Reds. Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia both recently chose to sign with Chelsea instead. One player who turned the club down and went on to regret it is former Turkey international Hasan Sas.
The forward was on the radar of multiple teams after a very impressive World Cup campaign in 2002 and Liverpool eventually came calling. He ultimately turned them down, though, and now, he’s revealed why.
2002 was one of the highest points of Hasan Sas’ career. After joining Galatasaray in 1998, he became a key figure for the team and was a firm favourite among the supporters. His 2001/02 season was solid, but it wasn’t until the World Cup that summer when he really took things to a whole new level.
Representing Turkey in the iconic competition, Sas found his stride and was instrumental to his country defying the odds. In a group with Costa Rice, Brazil and China, they finished second and qualified for the knockout stage. Facing Japan in the round of 16 and Senegal in the quarter-finals, they brushed past both on their way to a semi-final showdown with Brazil. They wouldn’t have done so without Sas, though. He was fantastic and scored twice in the group stage to help them qualify.
He also recorded three assists in the competition as well, playing a pivotal role in his nation’s run to a third-place finish. It was a superb run and led to him being named in the World Cup’s All-Star squad. He even ended up placing above some of the best players on the planet, such as Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Cafu, in the Ballon d’Or rankings later that year. All the success ultimately caught the attention of Liverpool and they came calling for him.
After a stellar World Cup, Liverpool came calling for Sas, but he ultimately turned the club down and chose to remain at Galatasaray in Turkey. It all boiled down to the sort of money that they were offering, as he was offered a lower salary than what he was making with the Turkish Super Lig side already. Speaking to Sky Turk via Hurriyet, he spoke about the potential move and admitted his regret about turning the Reds down, saying:
“I met with many agents after the 2002 World Cup. They all came to take me to a team in Europe. But now I understand that they were not all big-time agents. Despite this, Liverpool wanted me. Although my transfer fee was high, there were other offers.
“However, due to the economic crisis, the money they were going to give me was much lower than what I would earn in Turkey. But if I had the mind I have now, I would have accepted this offer. If I were 25 now, I would have accepted that little money and left without a second thought.”
Instead, he spent the remainder of his career at Galatasaray and retired in 2009. By the time he called it a day and hung up his boots, he’d played 354 times for Galatasaray, scoring 38 times and assisting a further 95 goals along the way. Still, he never ended up leaving Turkey and clearly has regrets about that decision over two decades later.
