Teenage forward Bobby Duncan rejected the chance to join Manchester United from Liverpool during the summer transfer window, according to an Italian agent.
The 18-year-old only arrived at Anfield from Manchester City last summer, and the attacker starred for the Merseyside club's Under-18s during the 2018-19 campaign before representing the first-team during pre-season.
The Reds were accused of "mentally bullying" the teenager, though, with his agent Saif Rubie desperately attempting to secure a move away from the club in the latter stages of the transfer window.
Duncan ultimately joined Fiorentina before the deadline, but according to Vincenzo Morabito - an agent who worked on the deal - the youngster could have made the switch to Old Trafford.
"It all started in April. Saif Rubie (Duncan's agent) contacted me and we set to work to find new accommodation for Bobby," Morabito told the Daily Mail. "The boy did not want to betray Liverpool and said no to Manchester United who insisted so much with him.
"He could have gone to Lazio but relations with Liverpool are very bad and nothing was done. '(Lazio manager) Simone Inzaghi would have made him grow a lot and I hope he is like that with (Fiorentina boss) Vincenzo Montella."
The last player to be transferred directly between United and Liverpool was Phil Chisnall back in 1964, with the forward leaving Old Trafford in 1964 to move to Merseyside.
Matt Law
