Rafael van der Vaart has admitted that he turned down the opportunity to join Liverpool when he was coming through at Ajax as a youngster.
There are not many players who have legendry status among Spurs fans despite playing for the club for just a couple of years but that perhaps speaks to the connection that the Tottenham faithful felt towards Van der Vaart.
After arriving from Real Madrid on a transfer deadline day deal in the summer of 2010, the midfielder not only mesmerised the White Hart Lane crowd with his wand of a left-foot but he also played with his heart on his sleeve which was evident during his appearances in the north London derbies.
The Dutchman was a crucial part of Tottenham’s journey to the quarterfinal of the Champions League under Harry Redknapp, in what was the club’s maiden voyage in the tournament.
Van der Vaart has now revealed that he could have come to the Premier League during his younger days, with Liverpool once knocking on his door.
The 39-year-old told Ziggo Sport: “Gerard Houllier was there (at Liverpool) when I was eighteen. He called me.
“However, a transfer to Liverpool was never a serious option. I liked my mother’s frikandeltjes too much, so I said: ‘no no no no no, I don’t want to. Please, leave me at Ajax!’
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“Houllier was really disappointed. But I immediately said in the conversation: ‘I like (the offer), it’s nice but I definitely don’t want to go to Liverpool.'”
Spurs Web Opinion
It is a shame that the game has moved away from players like Van der Vaart and more in the direction of physically fit and strong players, who can carry out tactical instructions to a tee. Many of us fell in love with the game because of talented mavericks like the Dutchman but those kinds of players no longer exist.
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