Liverpool gave me five-year contract and sold me days later - I was heartbroken

Dominic Matteo

This time last year Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold were edging dangerously close to the final six months of their Liverpool contracts.

It left supporters to wait anxiously in hope that the Reds trio penned extensions to remain at the club.

In the end, talismanic top-scorer Salah and captain Van Dijk did just that, but Alexander-Arnold turned down the offer to stay and instead signed for Real Madrid.

Madrid are also said to be interested in Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who is in the last year of his contract and from January 1 on, can speak to clubs outside of England about a free transfer summer move.

Should Konate follow his centre-back partner Van Dijk's and Salah's lead, and pen fresh terms at Anfield, it would be a move that would delight fans, despite the France international's, at times, difficult campaign.

But imagine a scenario when Konate agreed a new long-term contract with the Reds, only to find himself sold on days later.

It’s a surreal concept, but that is exactly what happened to former Reds star Dominic Matteo back in the summer of 2000.

Matteo revealed in his autobiography,

“On the Monday, I was signing a five-year deal that, by the standards of the day, was a lucrative one. But, just four days later, I was on my way out of Liverpool,"

‘In My Defence’, published in 2011. “I was in shock. How could things change so quickly in just four days?

“The thought of leaving was an upsetting one. But, for the good of my career, I needed a fresh start. So, I went.

“It meant I missed out on all the trophies that Liverpool won the following season.

“I’ll admit that seeing the lads pick up the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup was difficult."

Matteo had just enjoyed his most successful season yet for Liverpool in 1999/00, starting 32 times in the Premier League and recording six assists.

But Gerard Houllier’s decision to pursue Christian Ziege from Middlesbrough, despite handing the Scotland international a new long-term contract, proved to be the death knell on his Reds career.

In an exclusive interview with the ECHO, Matteo admitted he was heartbroken to leave Liverpool.

But while he is confident Houllier wanted to keep him, having only just signed that contract extension, and had faith in his ability to play ahead of Ziege, he did not want to risk giving up on regular starting football.

Matteo

“When I left Liverpool, I had five years left on my contract,”

“I didn't think I was going anywhere, but I didn't think I was going to get the game time again.

“The reason why I left was because of that. There was no other reason. I wanted to stay, but I wasn't going to get the game time.

“I thought I couldn’t have another three or four years of not playing. It just wasn’t what I wanted.

“So Gerard had to make a call. You have to make calls and I think he definitely wanted to keep me. No two ways about that.

“I generally thought I would play ahead of Ziege in my own head, because you have got to have that confidence about yourself.

“I wasn’t being cocky, I just thought I could match that. And I could play numerous positions as well, which I always thought was a help.

“If you look at that the year before, I was probably one of the best players! I didn’t miss many games.

“And obviously Liverpool just missed out on the Champions League that year. We lost at Bradford of all places, 1-0.

“But things could have been different. I think if we'd won that game, would I stay? Maybe. You know, I might stayed. I don't know, but obviously, again, it was about playing that next season.”

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