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Liverpool could have stopped Cantona becoming Manchester United icon but Souness passed on signing

Former Liverpool boss Graeme Souness has revealed that he passed up the chance to take Eric Cantona to Anfield and prevent him from becoming a legend for arch-rivals Manchester United.

The enigmatic talent had burned his bridges in his native France following Liverpool's clash with Auxerre in 1991.

Michel Platini, who was manager of Les Bleus at the time, informed Souness after the contest that he was looking to find Cantona a suitable stage on which to showcase his talent.

Clubs in England were sounded out, with Leeds eventually taking a calculated risk on the mercurial forward in January 1992 after he had previously had a trial spell at Sheffield Wednesday.