Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has claimed he almost signed Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic whilst he was at the club.
Speaking on the We Are Liverpool Podcast, the Spaniard suggested he was on course to bring the Montenegro international to Anfield, before the club’s hierarchy told him he didn’t have the funds needed to complete the move.
“We were under massive economic pressure,” said Benitez.
“I wanted to sign Jovetic. Jovetic was playing for Fiorentina and the price was £16m.
“In my head with my budget, I had the money.
“When I went to sign him, they said no, you don’t have any money.
‘We played Fiorentina, we lost 2-0 and Jovetic scored two goals.
“These kind of things, the fans don’t know. As a manager you have to work with the money that is available.”
Benitez tried to sign Jovetic for Liverpool
Whilst Jovetic was a very promising forward, he never kicked on to achieve what pundits thought he would have when he first emerged onto the European scene.
Having joined Fiorentina in 2008 in a deal worth £5.3m, the striker went on to make 134 appearances for the Serie A outfit, during which he bagged 40 goals and 21 assists.
With Benitez missing out on his signature, Manchester City landed the player in 2013 for £22m.
Although he only went on to play 44 times for the club, he did manage to win the Premier League title during his tenure.
However, he never seemed to fulfil his huge potential, and City later sold him to Inter Milan for half of his previous price.
Liverpool may have been lucky they chose not to pursue Jovetic anyway, as they then went on to sign Luis Suarez in January 2011 – and we all know how that went.