'People can't believe this' - Former Liverpool flop claims he rejected 'crazy' transfer to Real Madrid

Former England Under-21 international Pennant says that the Spanish giants "wanted him" back in 2010 as they needed a right winger for their "squad depth". The ex-Birmingham City player admitted the opportunity was "exciting" but he had no real desire to be a benchwarmer. However, 15 years on, Pennant admits he would go back and change his decision.

The 42-year-old told Adventure Gamers: "This is a crazy one and many people can’t believe this, but Real Madrid wanted me back in 2010. It was my last year at Liverpool, I wasn’t going to sign a new contract, and things weren’t really working out between Rafa Benitez and me. Madrid came in needing a right-winger for their squad depth, so we had that conversation, and it was exciting, but then I asked myself if I wanted to go there and sit on the bench for three years or do I want to go somewhere to be a first team starter and kick-start my career again? It was exciting, but I wasn’t keen at the time. Would I go back and change my decision? I wish I could!"

Pennant, who scored three goals in 81 games for Liverpool, spent the second half of the 2008/09 season on loan at Portsmouth before sealing a three-year deal with La Liga side Real Zaragoza in July of that year. From there, he played for Stoke City in the Premier League, followed by stints at FC Pune City in the Indian Super League and Bury in League One, before finally retiring at Billericay Town in the Isthmian League Premier Division. His career could have been very different if he had joined Madrid all those years ago.

Former Arsenal and Wigan Athletic player Pennant, who retired in 2018 after making 448 appearances and scoring 27 goals in his career, has since gone into punditry work and can often be heard on talkSPORT.