'I nearly joined Liverpool but one phone call had me packing my bags'The former Newcastle winger revealed that a phone call from Sir Bobby Robson convinced him to snub LiverpoolView 2 Images Hugo Viana snubbed Liverpool for Newcastle (Image: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)Hugo Viana was once a Liverpool transfer target but chose Newcastle after a phone call from then-manager Sir Bobby Robson. As the January deadline looms, Reds fans may reflect on past potential signings that never materialised, such as Viana. 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. "Mr Robson said he knew me; he'd watched some games at Sporting and in the Under-21 European Championships. ‌View 2 Images Viana failed to live up to expectations (Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)Yet, to Liverpool's relief, Viana failed to live up to expectations in England.

Source: Daily Mirror February 01, 2026 12:12 UTC