How Arsenal fans fabricated a transfer rumor about Liverpool

Arsenal supporters managed to create a sensational transfer rumor involving Liverpool and a non-existent player.

The fabricated tale, which unfolded in the football media in a surprisingly convincing manner, saw Liverpool reportedly pursuing a French left-back named Didier Baptiste for a substantial £3.5 million deal.

Back in the days before the likes of Fabrizio Romano became synonymous with transfer news, various reputable news outlets ran ‘exclusives’ about Liverpool’s interest in the fictional player.

The then-manager of Liverpool, Gerard Houllier, was allegedly on the brink of securing the services of Baptiste, who was supposedly a standout talent at Monaco and even a part of France’s Under-21 squad.

Reports from reputable sources like The Guardian and The Times lent credibility to the story, but the origins of the rumor can be traced back to a surprising source – an Arsenal message switchboard. The Arsenal supporters masterminded this elaborate prank, seemingly with the sole intent of causing a stir among football fans and pundits.

Mike Dunn, a writer for the News of the World, was quoted at the time saying, “We think Didier Baptiste would be an ideal addition to Liverpool’s back four. He’s a really attractive player and you will be seeing a lot more of him in the News of the World.”

However, the truth eventually came to light: Didier Baptiste was a figment of imagination, a character from the British football soap opera “Dream Team,” which aired on Sky between 1997 and 2007, amassing 419 episodes across 10 seasons.