Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen has offered a bizarre explanation for his switch to Old Trafford.
Owen joined United in 2009 from Newcastle United, going on to score five times in 31 league appearances across three years.
But before leaving Newcastle for United, he admits he tried everything to join Liverpool first.
After that, he claims it was just a case of joining the best of the teams whose fans despised him.
“I was leaving Newcastle and the first thing I did was phone Carra [Jamie Carragher] and said ‘speak to Rafa Benitez’,” Owen told BBC Radio 5 Live .
“Carra got back to me and said ‘no, he’s about to sign someone’. I think it was David Ngog, but he had already had some great players in the team and basically they didn’t need another centre-forward. What do you want me to do at that point?
“My agent then spoke to virtually every club on the planet to see who was interested and the options were Hull City, Everton and Manchester United. You can imagine my thought process – go to Everton, get hated, go to Man United and get hated as well.
“As soon as I heard Man United were in for me then I thought, obviously first choice would be Liverpool and to go back there but if Liverpool aren’t going to want me and these are all my options then wow, Manchester United in the Champions League, I don’t have to move, I know loads of the lads. It was a brilliant move.
“I couldn’t believe my luck when Manchester United came in for me. Here’s me, regressing as a player in my own mind and still the champions of England wanted to sign me. I was absolutely buzzing when they wanted me.”
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