Khaberni - Adam Bieber was the focus of Barcelona's interest, tested with Manchester United, played with Liverpool, and was valued at $6.62 million at the age of 11, but an injury he suffered in 2009 turned his life upside down.
In his youth, the 32-year-old player now was the focus of attention from European giants, as his football skills caught their eyes.
After shining with a local team, clubs like Barcelona and Ajax sought to sign the football talent.
His agent Eric Hol valued him at about $6.62 million at the time, making him the most expensive player in the world at the age of 11.
Focus of European Giants
Bieber seemed on his way to becoming one of the upcoming English football stars. Some agents and scouts attended his games, and his name spread, something he was not enthusiastic about.
Bieber told "The Athletic" in 2022 "I didn’t enjoy the attention because I am very sensitive. I mean, I wasn’t even playing for a professional club at that time. I was an amateur football player, and my name echoed throughout the press."
Eventually, he trialed at Manchester United and received offers from Manchester City, Everton, and Liverpool.
Former midfielder spoke with Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool and met David Beckham and Ryan Giggs at Manchester United.
But the Reds were the ones who succeeded in signing him amid a frenetic chase to sign the rising star.
Liverpool Wins Signing Battle
Bieber joined Liverpool at the age of 14, and was offered a six-year contract, three years of which began in the youth category and the other three as professional.
He admired Steven Gerrard, loved the Merseyside Derby, and was previously a season ticket holder at Everton.
Due to his small size, Bieber used his aggression to win tackles, and he was praised as a great technical and creative player for the Reds and was tipped to become the next Wayne Rooney.
Career Halted
His career was thriving at Liverpool, where he constantly sought to win titles in the English FA Youth Cup.
They were on the verge of reaching the Cup final for the third time in four seasons in 2009, but at that moment, things went terribly wrong for Bieber.
During a semi-final match against Birmingham, Bieber suffered a very serious injury.
During the return match, he tried to control a pass and heard a popping sound before collapsing from severe pain.
He lay there for 10 minutes before bravely leaving the field, having never experienced such pain in his life, his abduction muscle had torn from his pelvis, and after being substituted, his stomach swelled.
Then he had to sit in a wheelchair for a week thereafter, and soon a specialist warned him that his career might be over.
However, his hope was not completely dashed, as his coaches informed him that with three years left on his contract, he was still highly regarded at the club.
However, after Liverpool lost the FA Youth Cup final against Arsenal, those coaches were dismissed in a painful blow for Bieber.
Bieber told The Athletic, "I couldn’t believe it. Everything we knew about the club was thanks to them."
It is likely that deep down he knew what would happen next, as Rafa Benitez left his mark on the club.
The Beginning of the End
Bieber was recovering from his horrific injury when he was called to the training ground to check on his condition.
Shortly after hearing positive news about his recovery, the renewal of coach Rafa Benitez for the youth sector led to talks to end his contract definitively.
The Spanish first team coach was not satisfied with the level of rising young talents at the club at that time.
It seemed that this opinion had spread in the minds of the academy staff, as Bieber noticed a real change in the way things were handled.
He admitted, "Some people who I thought I knew ignored me. I thought I could show them my capabilities, and I told them that. But this situation seemed against me. They didn’t want me to show them. Simply, they didn’t want me."
Bieber remained at Liverpool for a few more months, where he regained his fitness, then eventually returned to the pitch.
But by the time he turned 18, he was forced to train with the youth team, where it seemed his previous good reputation had vanished.
Fortunately, he returned to playing with the under-18 youth team, although it was not enough to regain the support he once had at the club.
In 2010, he left the Reds, still having two years left on his contract.
I Wanted to Disappear
Left without a club, and because he was not fully fit after his injury, he was "afraid" to play again then went through a very tough time in his life, sold his football-related possessions, and retired from playing.
Bieber explained, "I wasn’t physically fit enough to continue playing at any serious level for a long time."
He added, "I didn’t want anyone talking about me. I just wanted to disappear."
Talking about his thoughts at the time, he added, "I didn’t have any high school diploma because I was training with Liverpool daily at the age of 16. It seemed as if there was no future. I admit, I no longer wanted to live."
Bieber continued playing for periods in Wales and Stockport County, but his physical fitness still put him in a difficult situation.
Retirement from Professional Football
Bieber then took a break to live in Jersey before returning to football, however, things were not alright for the former rising star.
Within a few months, Bieber moved from being one of the highest-rated players in Europe to retiring from professional football.
In 2022, he was playing for a local amateur team in Liverpool, and was very cautious on the field due to his previous injury.
Alongside that, Bieber became a full-time electrician to earn his living, working on the Merseyside railway lines. He had the potential to become one of England’s finest players, but unfortunately for some, things did not go as planned.
