Shearer was such a great striker.
Probably one of the best in Europe yet only played for Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle.
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I do often wonder just how strongly we were linked with him in 96 and if we stood a chance of getting him.
Realistically, it looked like only 2 clubs were in the mix. If we did make a bid, though…
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If we had bought him it would have meant we probably wouldn’t have bought Bergkamp so it’s not so bad.
But at least Blackburn refused to sell him to Man U. 
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We had Bergkamp already.
Would have meant Shearer, Wrighty and Bergkamp 
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Shearer was a dickhead going to Newcastle. Great players make good choices. He didn’t.
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He’s actually never regretted it. I’m not sure if he’s just saying that, but he’s happy with his Harry Kane-like career at Newcastle.
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He could have gone to any club in Europe but wanted to play for the club and manager he supported as a boy.
Although it’s true he could have won more he will still be remembered as a world class striker.
Like, Le Tissier, who could have gone to a much bigger club, there won’t be players like them again.
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Depends on your definition of world class I suppose.
I think he could have played for any club and was the complete striker, similar to Haaland.
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Agreed but the fact that he chose Newcastle spoils the comparison for me.
End up getting more compared with Kane because of it.
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That’s true.
Kane is the modern equivalent, although Shearer was a better player and at least he won a league title.
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I think Shearer could have done with more pace. (Which almost sounds ridiculous given his scoring return)
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I watched the Bobby Robson documentary a little while ago and he spoke about when he was at Barca needing a new striker. He told the board he wanted Shearer, they made contact but they refused to enter into a deal, then they bought Ronaldo from PSV instead, and a little while later Shearer went to Newcastle.
Funny how it could have all been so different, if Shearer would have gone Barca, then where would Ronaldo have ended up?
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It would have been interesting to see how Shearer would have done at a top European club.
I remember when Barcelona had Mark Hughes and Lineker upfront, who both did well but Ronaldo was a different class.
If Ronaldo hadn’t gone there, he might have gone to Real Madrid or AC Milan.
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I think Shearer would have been the same as Ian Rush at Juventus, completely struggled with a language other than English and would have left after a year.
Greavsie was the same at Milan. A shame, really. It’s nice to see English players becoming legends at foreign clubs.
Some players adapted well in Europe but Shearer comes across as someone who I see as a typical “expat” abroad lol
Funnily enough you would have thought Gazza would of been that player at Lazio.
Done quite well really mostly, mixed in though with his life unravelling around him off it.
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Incey is still highly regarded at Internazionale, in spite of not having been there that long. Another weird example to add to the Gazza one lol
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I think you might be right, learning a foreign language doesn’t seem to be something that Shearer would be comfortable with unlike Lineker, who was successful at Barcelona.
Platt did well abroad because he seemed to integrate better and played for three clubs in Italy.
So did Souness at Sampdoria and a long time before, John Charles and Denis Law were top players in the Italian league.
There were a few in the Bundesliga as well like Keegan, McInally and Woodcock.
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