Paul Gascoigne reveals he turned down West Ham, Liverpool and Man Utd

Paul Gascoigne tells Paul Merson how he nearly signed for West Ham, Liverpool and Manchester United before eventually joining Tottenham Hotspur, in this week's The Fantasy Football Club.

Merson sits down with his former Middlesbrough and England international team-mate to discuss his brilliant career in a special edition of the show to be aired on Friday at 5.30pm.

Gazza chats about a range of subject matters during the interview, including how he came to sign for Tottenham when he left Newcastle United in 1988.

And according to the 48-year-old, it was then-Spurs chairman Irving Scholar's promise to buy Gascoigne and his family a new house that persuaded him to reject moves to Upton Park, Anfield and Old Trafford to join the north London club instead.

"I knew they were struggling money-wise, and I did not really want to leave, but when Peter [Beardsley] went I was devastated," he tells Merson in Friday's TFFC show.

"There were rumours coming in that I wanted to leave, so what I did was I got Jimmy Five Bellies to pretend to be my agent and get us to sign for West Ham to get away, but Newcastle would not let us go.

"I spoke to Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish - Kenny was funny. I got a phone call and I said: 'Yeah' and he says: 'It's Kenny Dalglish and I'm interested in buying you' and after 10 minutes I turn round to my dad and said: 'I have not got a clue what he is saying!'

"And I went: 'Yeah OK then, cheers, I'll call you back!' But I did not have a clue what he was on about! And that has come from a Geordie!

"And then there was almost the Man Utd move. That was weird. I told Sir Alex that I was definitely coming. And he said: 'Are you definitely coming, because I am going on holiday?' 'Yes,' and he says: 'Cheers, Gazza, I will see you when I get back.'

"OK, so I am heading towards Old Trafford and the phone goes and it is Irving Scholar and he says: 'Listen, we will buy your family a house.' So I say to dad: 'Spurs are going to buy us a family house.'

"So I ring Man Utd and they could not match buying us a house and I always wanted to get my family a house, the way we were brought up. So I ring my dad back and he says: 'I've found a house' and this was only 10 minutes later and he had already found a house!

"So I put the phone down and I went to Spurs: 'I think I will be heading towards Tottenham, but I will see though.' And then all of a sudden the phone goes and it is my dad and he says: 'Paul I forgot to tell you the house has a garage, so can I have a BMW, the new one?'

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"So I went to Irving Scholar: 'Can my dad have a car?' And he said: 'OK' and so I said: 'Right, I am definitely coming now and I am on my way!' Then the phone went again, it was Lindsay and it was classic: 'Paul, if mum is getting a house and dad is getting a car, I want a sunbed.'

"So can you imagine me ringing Irving and saying: 'Listen, I will definitely sign now, the deal is on, but can I have a sun bed thrown in as well?!' And he went: 'Just make your way here will you? It is done.' And I went to Lindsay: 'I've got your sunbed!'"