Portugal great Simao Sabrosa has recalled his famous on-off move to Liverpool.

Simao came close to joining the Reds before he moved to Atletico Madrid in 2007.

He told BTV: "I was in the national team and Benfica was negotiating with Liverpool, I informed (Luiz Felipe) Scolari that the transfer was going to take place, I asked if he would give me permission to leave the hotel to do the medical tests and sign.

"Then they called at six in the morning to say that the deal was made. Jorge Baidek and Rafa Benítez's lawyer were dealing with it. So I did, when I got to Baidek's office, the president called to say that he didn't accept the transfer and that I couldn't travel on the plane, but I was at the airport door waiting for the authorization to travel to Liverpool.

"The president had been in negotiations all night, I called his wife, because the president had his phone off, because he was resting, and she passed the phone. 'If I let you out, the fans will fall on me, you are the most important player, I will not authorize'.

"And I returned to the national team."