Deschamps Reveals Reds Offer

Didier Deschamps claims he was offered the opportunity to take over at Liverpool last summer but felt he had to stay loyal to Marseille.

Deschemps admits he was flattered to be interesting a club with such rich history, but he had given his word to Marseille that he would see out his contract at Stade Velodrome.

Deschamps, who won 103 caps for France, had another year on his contract with Marseille and was not about to walk out on the club early.

With the Ligue 1 pre-season just around the corner he felt the timing of his possible exit would have been a hammer blow to the club.

"I was immensely flattered to receive Liverpool's offer but there are two principal reasons that made me stay at Marseille," he told The Sun.

"I thought about it for more than two seconds, I won't lie to you. Believe me. It's not every day Liverpool come knocking on your door.

"It was not an easy decision, I tell you, not easy. But I had given my word here.

"I had a year left on my contract and committed myself to staying, giving my promise to the president, the fans and the players.

"There were players who came here for me. Then Liverpool's offer came two days before we started pre-season at the end of June.

"As I am a man of my word, I couldn't do it.

"At the same time we also had the controversy of the French team at the World Cup in South Africa and I couldn't see myself adding to that by dropping Marseille in it two days before pre-season and saying 'That's it, I'm going to Liverpool'."