As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Shearer: Sir Bobby tried to sign me for Barcelona ahead of Ronaldo

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has revealed that Sir Bobby Robson enquired about signing him for Barcelona.

Shearer was one of the most prolific forwards in the world in the mid-90s, winning the Premier League with Blackburn and then moving to his beloved Newcastle.

However, he has now revealed that if Brazilian legend Ronaldo had not signed for Barca in 1996, they could have targeted Shearer instead.

"Sir Bobby signed him [Ronaldo] at Barca, he tried to sign me before him," Shearer revealed to BBC Sport.

"Bobby told me this story when he was manager of Newcastle.

"He said, 'I came in for you first, and Blackburn told me you weren't for sale and then two or three weeks later you'd gone to Newcastle. But in the meantime, once they'd told me emphatically that you're not for sale, I went out and got young Ronaldo from PSV'. It worked out all right. He got the right one in the end."

Video of the day:

About the author

Ansser Sadiq

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free