Michael Owen has admitted he only joined Newcastle as a way of a stepping stone to earn a move back to his former club Liverpool.
Owen came through the ranks at Anfield, best site before becoming a global star in Liverpool as well as England's attack before he left to join Real Madrid in 2004.
However, after a mixed year at the Bernabeu he admitted to wanting to jump at a chance of returning to Liverpool - who had just won the Champions League - before being left stunned that Madrid's negotiations with a Premier League club turned out to be Newcastle.
Michael Owen explained the details of his shock move to Newcastle United in 2005
Owen recalls how the nature of the deal would allow him easier ways to rejoin Liverpool
'When I was leaving Real Madrid, I spoke to Liverpool, they wanted to buy me back. They put in a bid of £10m. They sold me for £8m, put in a bid for £10m and I thought "I'm there, I'm going to go home",' Owen explained on .
Shortly after, Owen recalled a conversation with Real Madrid chief executive Florentino Perez who claimed he was happy to keep the striker at the club but would not stand in his way of a departure.
'I said I'd prefer to go back now, I've had a great experience but I'd prefer to go back thinking it's Liverpool,' Owen recalled.
Michael Owen was eager to rejoin Liverpool (pictured above) before his Real Madrid exit
But a move to Liverpool fell through after they were substantially outbid by Newcastle
"[Perez] said, "Okay, well it's Newcastle", and I was like, "What?" I was told obviously on the QT by Liverpool that they were going to put in a bid so I just assumed it was them.
'I was like no, I'll go back to Liverpool but I'm not going anywhere else. He said Newcastle have bid £16m, if Liverpool do that then you can go there. But if not, you either stay here or go to Newcastle. I was like, "Okay, I'll stay here", obviously putting on a poker face.'
Owen left the Spanish side to join Newcastle in the hope of keeping his place in the England side due to fears of limited first-team opportunities ahead of the 2006 World Cup, but revealed how his deal always offered a route back to Anfield.
'I spoke to Liverpool again and said, "If you just go to £12m, I'll hold my nerve and force them [Madrid] into a corner".
Owen enjoyed his time at Real Madrid but feared for his place alongside the likes of Ronaldo
His move to Newcastle failed to sparkle despite a strike partnership with Alan Shearer
'But Liverpool said, "We can only go to £10m". So then I had a big decision to make. We had just signed Robinho, we already had Ronaldo and Raul.
'We had a World Cup coming up at the end of the year, and I needed to play all of the time. I spoke to Newcastle, and Newcastle agreed that if I signed for them, I could do one year and they would then sell me to Liverpool for an agreed fee of £12m.
'Then if I do another year, then they'll sell me to Liverpool for £8m, and another year for £4m. So every year, it would be more attractive for Liverpool to buy me back.
However, Owen's plans were derailed after an injury halfway through his first year at Newcastle left him unfit heading into the World Cup - where he picked up another serious knee injury just seconds into a group clash with Sweden that ruled him out for nearly the entirety of the following season.