Celtic flop Youssouf Mulumbu claims he knocked back an approach from Rangers before joining their bitter rivals.
Steve Clarke offered Mulumbu a career lifeline at Kilmarnock as he played a vital role in the Ayrshire men's revival under the now Scotland boss.
That form saw Brendan Rodgers pick up the phone to the midfielder to secure a move to Glasgow's east end in 2018.
The DR Congo international never found his feet at the Hoops, making just three appearances for the club.
His contract was ripped up and he spent a year out of football before returning to Rugby Park for their ill-fated Premiership relegation scrap last term.
However, the 34-year-old has now claimed that he could have moved to anywhere he wanted in the Scottish Premiership - including Rangers.
He says that a number of clubs knocked on his door in a bid to seal a free switch following his instant Killie success.
Speaking to The High Press podcast, Mulumbu said: "I went to Kilmarnock to enjoy football, and it was crazy because I had played five games and Bordeaux in France called my agent and said 'We want Youssouf'.
"Steve Clarke was devastated. He said 'You are doing a very good job for me' but I said I was going to France to be around my family.
"The transfer didn't happen, I think on the Friday the transfer failed and on the Saturday we played against Celtic, and we won 1-0 and I scored.
"From there all the teams in Scotland offered me a contract; Aberdeen, Rangers and Celtic.
"One week before I signed for Celtic I had a call (from West Brom) saying I think we need a centre mid. This was crazy, 30 years old, knowing the club, having experience.
"I spoke to Darren Moore and he said he didn't think it would be good for the group, and an hour later Brendan Rodgers called me and said he wanted me to come after a great season.
"I messaged Darren Moore saying I really wanted to come back to West Brom, but I'm going to Celtic.
"It was just like going to PSG, big club, big fan base and big competition.
"I was going through a bad time from when I left Norwich, so I think when I went to Celtic people saw me as a good player.
"When I left West Brom, people said 'he was finished', when I went to Kilmarnock, people said 'he was finished', but going to Celtic people thought he was a good player."
