Dieumerci Mbokani: I could have been the next Drogba had I picked Liverpool

Congolese striker Dieumerci Mbokani has revealed his regret after turning down the chance to sign for Liverpool in 2010.

Mbokani, who now plays for Belgian outfit Royal Antwerp, claims he could have signed for the Reds whilst Roy Hodgson was in charge eight years ago.

He would eventually make the move to the Premier League, enjoying loan spells with both Norwich City and Hull City between 2015 and 2017.

Now 32, Mbokani has opened up on his choice to turn down Liverpool in favour of a switch to Monaco and believes he could have become one of the great African strikers if he had gone through with the move to Anfield.

“When I played at Standard, I had the choice between Monaco and Liverpool, but that turned out badly,” Mbokani told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.

“If I had gone to Liverpool I might have had a career as (Samuel) Eto’o or (Didier) Drogba.

“Because I felt that with my qualities I must not be inferior to those two.”

Blind optimism?

In his prime, Mbokani was considered as one of the most promising strikers in Europe, making a name for himself at Standard Liege between 2007 and 2010.

It was then that he decided to leave for Monaco, where he only managed one goal before being shipped out on loan to Wolfsburg.

He returned to Belgium with Anderlecht for two years and then enjoyed a five-year spell in Ukraine with Dynamo Kiev, where he managed 25 goals.

He netted on seven occasions during a loan spell with Norwich but failed to register a single goal with Hull City during the 2016/17 season.

We’ll never know which path Mbokani’s career would have taken should he have joined Liverpool instead of Monaco eight years ago, but he’s had plenty of other opportunities to showcase his ability at other clubs.

Comparisons with the likes of Eto’o and Drogba may be pushing the boat out a little.

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