Paul Gascoigne reveals Liverpool transfer fell through as he ‘could not understand a word Kenny Dalglish said’

PAUL GASCOIGNE has revealed he snubbed a move to Liverpool in his prime because he ‘couldn’t understand a word’ Kenny Dalglish said.

In 1988, the midfield maestro was well on his way to becoming a global megastar at Newcastle.

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Paul Gascoigne’s proposed move to Liverpool in 1988 collapsed after the midfielder couldn’t understand Kenny DalglishCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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Kenny Dalglish, then manager of First Division champions of Liverpool, had tried to sign Gazza from Newcastle in 1988Credit: News UK Ltd

Then-champions Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United all wanted him in what would be a career-defining summer.

And now, Gazza has claimed the move to Anfield only collapsed as he couldn’t understand Scottish boss Dalglish.

Looking back at the summer of 1988, Gascoigne told talkSPORT: “I didn’t want to leave [Newcastle], but I had no choice.

“I spoke to Dalglish and I did not understand a word he said.

“So that deal went out the window.”

Gazza would go on to sign for Tottenham instead – but not after angering then-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who had bid £2.2million for him.

Explaining the transfer saga, Gascoigne revealed: “Sir Alex said, ‘So I’m going on holiday, when I come back you’ll have signed for Man Utd, you’ll be at Old Trafford?’

“I told him, ‘Yes, definitely’. I was so excited… then the phone went and it was Spurs.”

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Gascoigne continued: “My dad said, ‘You’re not signing for Spurs, you’re signing for Man Utd’. I said that to the chairman.

“He said, ‘We’ll buy your mum and dad a house’. I told my dad and he went, ‘Well what the hell are you waiting for son? Tell him I need a car. I want a BMW and also I’ll find the house’.

“I was a mile away from Spurs and I get a call from my sister, she said, ‘If mum and dad are getting a house, I want a sunbed!’

“So I think the deal was done on a sunbed.”

Gazza later admitted Ferguson didn’t speak to him again for six years – but not before calling him a ‘fat b******’.

*Listen to Gazza and McCoist: Together Again on talkSPORT at 7pm on Tuesday or catch up on listen again via talkSPORT.com. 

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