Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer spoke to former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier about securing a transfer to Anfield.
Phil Thompson, who worked as assistant manager to Houllier with the Reds between 1998 and 2004, explained that prolific striker Shearer told the late Houllier he "wanted to join us".
However, 66-year-old Thompson was not convinced and told his former boss that Shearer was "using" Liverpool to get a new contract at St James' Park.
"Gerard came to me and said ‘we can sign Alan Shearer and he wants to come to us’," Thompson said.
"I said I thought he was using us – because I knew he wanted a new contract at Newcastle.
*Phil Thompson was talking on Paddy Power’s podcast, From The Horse’s Mouth, which you can listen to at podfollow.com/horsesmouth
"Gerard said he’d spoken to Shearer, who told him he wanted to come to Liverpool. He was convinced that the deal was done.
"So Rick Parry went to Newcastle, asking for first refusal if he became available. They absolutely s*** themselves. The very next day, Alan signs a new contract – he got the two years he asked for."
Shearer would go on to score an incredible 206 goals for the Magpies, but he phoned Liverpool to explain the day after he signed a new contract with his hometown club.
Thompson added: "I’m in Gerard’s office, and who comes in on the phone? Alan Shearer. Gerard puts it on conference call so I can hear, and the first words out of Alan’s mouth were: ‘I didn’t just use you to get a new contract at Newcastle, you know?’
"Michael Owen fell out with Shearer years later, and Michael always used that incident against him."
