Moses Simon has opened up about a period of his career he views as a missed opportunity, admitting that failing to complete a move to Liverpool remains one of his biggest regrets in football.

Speaking in an interview with Urban Dwell Sport, the Paris FC winger looked back on 2016 to 2018, a stretch during his time at Belgian club Gent when he says persistent transfer speculation began weighing on his form. He revealed that several clubs had shown interest in signing him during that period, including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton, Fulham, Hull City, and French side Lyon, whom Gent had faced in the Europa League. Of all the suitors, Simon said Liverpool came closest to landing him before the move ultimately fell through.

He admitted the disappointment affected him mentally, describing a stretch where doubts about whether the block was coming from his agent or from Gent themselves left him disengaged and unmotivated on the pitch. Believing that a drop in form might push the club to cash in on him given the interest from elsewhere, Simon said he deliberately eased off, only to see that strategy backfire; Gent, who had signed him for around €1 million, ended up demanding closer to €25 million for any sale.

Reflecting on the episode with the benefit of hindsight, Simon said he now recognises he handled the situation the wrong way, and has urged younger players not to let transfer rumours affect their application on the pitch, arguing that consistent performances, not distraction, are what actually build a player’s market value.

Despite the setback, Simon has gone on to enjoy a long and decorated career, becoming one of Nigeria’s most-capped players. With 98 appearances for the Super Eagles, he sits just two caps shy of the 100 appearance milestone, a landmark that would place him alongside Alex Iwobi, Joseph Yobo, Ahmed Musa, and Vincent Enyeama among Nigeria’s centurions.