Everyone thought I would sign for Man Utd but I rejected them to join Liverpool before £17m transfer

Everyone thought I would sign for Man Utd but I rejected them to join Liverpool before £17m transfer

Former Liverpool starlet Neco Williams has revealed how he rejected interest from elsewhere to join the Reds before revealing what persuaded him to join Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams reacts after the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest at Villa Park (Image: Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images )

Neco Williams has recalled how he rejected Manchester United and Everton to sign for Liverpool. The Wales international joined the Reds’ academy in 2007 and went on to make 33 appearances for the first team after progressing through the youth ranks.

A Premier League champion with Liverpool in 2020, the 24-year-old joined Nottingham Forest in a £17m deal in the summer of 2022. Initially helping the Tricky Trees avoid relegation, he has established himself as a key player for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as they look to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

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While he grew up in a family of Manchester United supporters, Williams has recalled how he caused surprise when snubbing the Red Devils’ advances in favour of joining Liverpool.

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“I started as a striker at the age of five or six. At that time while playing for your local team, you’re just playing for fun with your mates,” he said. “But I knew scouts would be at tournaments and getting scouted was the main aim, I guess.

“Getting ready for the tournaments, we would dye our hair, get out the hairspray and almost try and act like footballers! You would want to impress as much as you can.

“I guess it came naturally to me. I can’t remember a pinpointed day where I thought, ‘Oh, I’m quite good at this’, I just loved playing and wanted to play as much as I could.

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“I started to go to Liverpool and Everton sessions, and they were the two most interested in me. It wasn’t until the age of nine that I had to choose a team to sign for. I was still playing for Man United at that time too, training with both teams.

“All my family are United supporters, so everyone thought I would choose them, but I chose Liverpool. It’s hard to remember exactly why, but I think it came down to where I felt most comfortable and at that time it was Liverpool.”

While Williams forced his way into the Liverpool first team, he ultimately found himself behind Trent Alexander-Arnold in the pecking order.

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Sent on loan to Fulham in January 2022, Williams won the Championship title with the Cottagers before spurning their advances to sign for Nottingham Forest permanently.

And he’s revealed how Forest’s ambition ultimately persuaded him to join the club, having found out about their interest when away on holiday with former team-mate, Brennan Johnson.

“At that time, I was still very young and maturing into a player, always learning,” Williams told the Forest website . “You could argue I was playing with the best team in the world, so for me it was about trying to take in as much information as possible and learn.

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“Trent (Alexander-Arnold) and (Andy) Robertson were probably the best full-backs in the world that season, so I was learning so much.

“Forest were actually one of the first clubs to show a real interest in me. I was on holiday with Brennan (Johnson) when I found out about the interest, and we pretty much spent the whole holiday talking about Forest.

“He was so positive about the club and how ambitious the club and the owners are. Seeing how much they wanted me and how ambitious they are, it just excited me.

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“You see owners now at football clubs who don't really have any involvement in the club. These owners are so ambitious that you see them now at every single game.

“When we're coming in after a game, shaking our hands and congratulating us, that’s what you want as a player. It shows ambition, a massive reason why I joined.”

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