Donis Avdijaj has described snubbing Liverpool as the “biggest mistake” he’s made in his career.
The ex-Bundesliga whizkid was hot property after an explosive start with Schalke’s youth squads. Having joined the Miners back in 2011, Avdijaj converted a whopping 76 goals in 77 matches for their under-17s and under-19s before stepping up to the senior squad.
His sizzling performances at youth level caught the attention of Premier League powerhouses and Real Madrid before he inked a professional deal in Gelsenkirchen. However, he lived to rue that decision after struggling to live up to the expectations that came thanks to his prolific academy record, reports the Liverpool Echo.
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Speaking to Sport1 in 2020, Avdijaj said: “My biggest mistake, which I bitterly regret, was turning down another mega offer from Liverpool before I signed the long contract with Schalke, which was a matter close to my heart. I also had one from Real Madrid.”
The Kosovo international tallied a meagre 12 first-team outings for Schalke over a seven-year span before departing to join Dutch outfit Willem II in 2018. He made his way through clubs in Turkey, Scotland, Cyprus and Switzerland without much success.
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Fast forward to today and the 27-year-old has carved out his place in the Austrian Bundesliga with Hartberg. The forward racked up an impressive 12 goals and six assists this past season under the eye of boss Markus Schopp, who had previously worked alongside him at Sturm Graz.
Brendan Rodgers was in charge at Anfield when Avdijaj was first linked with Liverpool, though this is regarded as a tumultuous period for the club’s transfer dealings. The club later steadied the ship when Jurgen Klopp took over, which they hope to sustain under successor Arne Slot.
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Despite some stumbles after bursting onto the scene with rare ability, Avdijaj’s confidence has rarely faltered. Liverpool transfer or not, he told Sport1: “I know that it is up to me what my sporting future looks like.
“It certainly doesn’t matter whether I’ve played at one club for five years or have 10 clubs in five years. In the end, only one thing counts for me, namely that I can play football and show what I can do.”