Middlesbrough hero Juninho admits he regrets not signing for Liverpool.

The Brazilian revealed he regrets his decision to leave Boro for Atletico Madrid in 1997, when an offer from Liverpool was on the table.

He told the Daily Mail: “If l could go back to the past, I would never leave English football when I did.

“I had the chance to go to Liverpool in 1997. The manager [Roy Evans] spoke to my father but I had already given my word to Atletico Madrid.'

“I can't complain about my career but if I could change some things I would have liked to have played for longer in England.

“When Middlesbrough finally got into Europe [in 2004] I left because of Steve McClaren. Perhaps I could have stuck it out.

“And the first time [1997], I had adapted well to English football. Maybe it was the wrong thing to go to another country so soon."