Former England and Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has revealed he was ready to sign for Rangers before abandoning the deal.
The centre-back has claimed he was inside the training ground waiting to sign his contract at the club when something felt off and he left the club.
Lescott would join AEK Athens instead, just weeks later, after he walked out of Rangers' Auchenhowie training ground after feeling something was off.
@beastmodeonpodcast Joleon Lescott's move to Rangers was a shambles 🏴 #football #soccer #rangers #spl #beastmodeon ♬ original sound - Beast Mode On
According to Lescott, who revealed the story on the Beast Mode Podcast, he was first told he wouldn't need a medical due to his previous injury-free record.
However, he then had a scan due to an insurance policy at Rangers. Lescott believes it was at this point that something wasn't right as the deal began to fall apart.
He claims a doctor then stated something was flagged in his scan. At this point Lescott was reportedly preparing to join in training after finalising his deal.
However, he left the club without speaking to then boss Mark Warburton, who had not yet appeared on the day of the planned signing.
"I was going to Rangers," Lescott revealed. "Warburton came down to meet me two weeks before and said 'sign here.'
"I was supposed to meet the manager and the chief exec for dinner, but the chief exec said he can't make it, they're signing a player someone is flying in.
"I'm going there to sign, by the way, I'm signing.
"So cool, don't see him, it's fine. Don't need a scan because they know my history, my reputation, my games, availability is my medical.
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"Wake up in the morning of the signing, and they want to do a scan for the insurance.
"I said 'yeah, no problem,' but this ain't right.
"I go and do a scan, go back to the training ground and get into reception. I'm going to sign in order to train so I go and put my kit on.
"Now I'm in the gym and getting ready for training - bear in mind the manager hasn't come downstairs.
"So now I know something isn't right.
"So my agent's in the doctor's room, he didn't say anything, he's fuming. The doctor said 'We've found something on the scan.'
"I said, 'It's fine.' I didn't even let him finish, I said to my agent, 'Come on, we're going.'"
After his move to Athens, Lescott would be sidelined by a major injury blow as he suffered a detached cartilage in his knee, sustained while cycling in his apartment.
He was ruled out for the rest of the season. Lescott went on to play for Sunderland and Racing Murcia before calling time on his playing career.
