Former Liverpool center-back Daniel Agger has claimed Manchester City were seriously interested in signing him in 2012 but he refused to move to the Etihad Stadium.

Agger, who joined the Reds from Brondby in 2006, enjoyed a memorable stay at Anfield. The rough-and-tough center-back proved his mettle against the fiercest strikers in the Premier League, becoming a club favorite in no time.

Liverpool Accepted Offers From Both Barcelona And Manchester City

Due to Liverpool’s poor displays in the 2011-12 season, there were rumors that the in-form Agger might move to greener pastures. After consulting with the player, the Reds thought it was fair to allow him to make a name for himself at other clubs. Liverpool initially accepted an offer from Barcelona and the Danish defender was also open to the move. But soon after, City joined the party and tabled a much bigger offer, compelling the Merseyside club to accept it.

Agger, however, admittedly refused to move to the Etihad Stadium, declaring he would never play for them.

Agger Claims The Reds Wanted Him To Join Man City Due To Higher Transfer Fee

Speaking with John Aldridge on the ‘Aldo Meets’ Podcast, Agger said (via Manchester Evening News):

“It was a strange one. I remember I got presented with all these things and the club asked me what I was going to do and I said, ‘If you want me here, I will stay’. But I said, ‘If you don’t want me, if you don’t see me as part of your future I think it’s time that I go because I want to play football.”

He added:

“I don’t know the story from their side, I think they agreed a price (with Barcelona) and they accepted it and came to me and said, ‘this is it’. I said, ‘okay, fair enough’.

“But then from the side, another offer came in which was a lot higher, which they accepted and I didn’t want to go to that club.”

Agger was prepared to leave for the Catalans but was determined not to play for City.

The ex-CB continued:

“I said, ‘if you want to sell me I go down there (to Barcelona) otherwise I don’t go. And another offer came in from the same club (Man City), higher, and my feeling was that the club wanted me to go because it was a lot of money back then. 

“I said, ‘there’s no chance I’m going to that club, so better just stop now.”

Agger spent eight years at Liverpool between 2006 and 2014, playing 232 games and scoring 14 times. He won the 2012 EFL Cup and the 2007 FA Community Shield with the 19-time English champions.