▁former ▁Deport ivo ▁La ▁Cor una ▁president ▁August o ▁César ▁L endo iro ▁later ▁added ▁that ▁Barcelona ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁sign ▁his ▁former ▁player ▁R ival do ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁wanted ▁Mc Man aman , ▁and ▁put ▁it ▁down ▁to ▁a ▁" co inc idence " ▁that ▁they ▁pulled ▁out ▁and ▁opt ed ▁for ▁R ival do ▁instead , ▁with ▁it ▁being ▁notable ▁that ▁the ▁fact ▁Barcelona ▁came ▁back ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁( after ▁having ▁already ▁signed ▁R ival do ▁five ▁months ▁earlier ) ▁had ▁stood ▁as ▁evidence ▁of ▁that ▁point . ▁Non eth eless , ▁Mc Man aman ▁and ▁Liverpool ▁turned ▁them ▁down ▁once ▁and ▁for ▁all ▁for ▁the ▁last ▁time . ▁ ▁Mc Man aman ▁had ▁been ▁named ▁Liverpool ▁stand - in ▁captain ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 – 9 8 ▁season , ▁but ▁contract ▁negoti ations ▁continued ▁to ▁fl ound er ▁as ▁the ▁club ▁could ▁not ▁match ▁the ▁sums ▁available ▁to ▁Mc Man aman ▁if ▁he ▁left ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁agent ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁campaign . ▁Having ▁been ▁over look ed ▁by ▁Gl enn ▁H odd le ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁squad , ▁den ounced ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁media ▁as ▁being ▁gre edy ▁and ▁bol ster ed ▁by ▁advice ▁from ▁the ▁lik es ▁of ▁fellow ▁profession als ▁Paul ▁In ce , ▁Paul ▁Gas co igne , ▁David ▁Pl att ▁and ▁Chris ▁W addle , ▁Mc Man aman ▁public ly ▁announced ▁his