▁desire ▁to ▁play ▁abroad . ▁ ▁N umer ous ▁European ▁clubs ▁circ led ▁the ▁soon - to - be ▁free ▁agent , ▁with ▁Ju vent us ▁again ▁back ▁in ▁the ▁f ray ▁amid ▁huge ▁media ▁spec ulation , ▁but ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁soon ▁emer ged ▁in ▁November ▁through ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁as ▁his ▁most ▁likely ▁destination . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁talking ▁to ▁Real ▁with ▁the ▁player ▁reported ly ▁offered ▁£ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁a ▁week ▁and ▁nearly ▁£ 2   mill ion ▁as ▁a ▁signing ▁on ▁fee . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁January , ▁Mc Man aman ▁passed ▁a ▁medical ▁and ▁signed ▁an ▁official ▁pre - cont ract ▁with ▁the ▁club ▁which ▁would ▁make ▁him ▁the ▁best ▁paid ▁British ▁footballer ▁to ▁date . ▁He ▁decl ined ▁to ▁pose ▁in ▁a ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁sh irt ▁at ▁the ▁contract ▁signing ▁event , ▁out ▁of ▁respect ▁for ▁Liverpool ' s ▁fans . ▁ ▁Mc Man aman ' s ▁image ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁contract ▁re bel ▁and ▁mer cen ary ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁was ▁also ▁ex ac erb ated ▁by ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁a ▁year - long ▁dispute ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁with ▁Um bro , ▁his ▁football ▁boot ▁spons or . ▁Um bro ▁su ed ▁him ▁for ▁bre ach ▁of ▁contract ▁for ▁know ingly ▁we aring ▁Re eb ok ▁brand ed ▁bo ots ▁in ▁contra vention ▁of ▁the ▁deal