Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has spoken of being visited by Paul Gascoigne when with Real Madrid.

In his new autobiography Reboot - My Life, My Time Owen recalls the time soon after he joined Real when Gazza - who would have been 38 at the time and been retired for several years - suddenly pitched up in Spain.

Owen writes: "I walked into the reception area at Real Madrid and there, in front of me, was Gazza.

"When I looked closer, he was carrying a pair of football boots. I thought for a split second: What? Have we signed him?

"Then reality kicked in when I rationalised with myself that, as good as he had once been, there was no way that Real Madrid would have signed Paul Gascoigne in 2005.

"All I can say is that Gazza didn't seem to be in the most stable frame of mind.

"As much as it was great to see him, there was something incredibly sad and poignant about the image of one of my all-time heroes standing in the reception of the Bernabeu holding his football boots."