Liverpool offered a new contract last summer to back up goalkeeper Adrian, but the veteran decided to go back to his boyhood club Real Betis instead of the bank heating
Adrian had to tear himself out of Liverpool last summer, but he is sure that he made the right decision. The veteran goalkeeper has rejected the offer of a new deal to leave Liverpool and to reconnect his boy's club Real Betis last summer.
Adrian came to the Reds of West Ham in 2019 and spent five seasons as a backup custodian under the management of Jurgen Klopp. He only made 26 performances, often on the bank of the replacements that Alisson watched, but still won a succession of trophies.
The 38-year-old was a popular member of the team, but had slipped after the third choice, behind Alisson and Caoimhin Kelleher. Sports director Richard Hughes still offered the Spaniard a new one -year -old deal to stay under the management of Arne Slot, but he decided that a return to Betis was the right choice for his family.
“I cried when I left Liverpool. I had no chance to say goodbye to the fans, so I had to make a video on my social media. I was at home with my family and I just left,” he said the Athletic.
“I felt sorry for my children because they had spent their entire life in the UK. I had five beautiful seasons there and won all the trophies except the Champions League. One side of my heart said:” Come on, I love Liverpool, I love my scouse people “.
“It was hard to say no to Liverpool. It is hard to leave a place where you feel loved by everyone, but this decision was about me and my family. I had a conversation with Richard Hughes, and they tried to convince me to stay, but, this was the right step for me.
“I was aware of Betis 'interest in the end of the season, but it was nothing formal. This is my boys' club. I played here from the age of 10 until I am 26. All my family supports the club and my brother is a seasonal card holder.
“I enjoyed my time in Liverpool, but I could not reject the chance to reject myself at the club I love. Liverpool is one of the largest clubs in the world, but this was a decision from my heart.”
Adrian was reunited with Manuel Pellegrini – his former West Ham manager – in Seville and enjoys the change of the surroundings. This season he made 21 performances for Betis – almost as much as in five years in Liverpool – and the club is insisting on silverware.
Betis are 2-1 above Fiorentina after the first stage of their semi-final of the Conference League and his sixth in La Liga and urges a place in the Champions League of next season. Although he is happy to be back in southern Spain, Adrian revealed that a memory of Liverpool will always be with them in the form of the scouse accents who have picked up two of his children.
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