Michael Owen claims that Liverpool wanted to ship their captain Steven Gerrard out of the club, two years before he departed for LA Galaxy.
Gerrard made the move to Major League Soccer in 2015 after 710 appearances across 17 seasons at Anfield.
In his new book, "Reboot", Owen says the former England midfielder was forced out of his boyhood club.
"In Steven's case, I severely doubt whether he really wanted to go and play in the States in 2015," Owen wrote.
"I've heard that the club wanted him out two years prior to when he actually left.
"I'm sure he would rather have wound his career down at Liverpool, playing increasingly fewer games until he reached a point where he could be integrated into the coaching staff.
"This only happened later in his case. But instead, because he'd become so symbolic and so powerful, I believe he was forced out in the short term. Steven was bigger than the club."
Owen has also addressed the abuse he received from Liverpool supporters about joining Manchester United in the Autumn of his career.
"Throughout my career, I've heard so many conversations from football fans about which player is loyal and which other player isn't.
"To me, this is complete b******* and a way of thinking perpetuated by fans that are blind to the badge, as I see it.
"The truth is: most players just aren't as loyal as the fans like to think they are. While they're at their current club, they'll say they're loyal - they have to.
"But if another, bigger club came in for them offering a deal that could improve the lives of them and their family, then you'd see how loyal they really are."
He added that Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs only stayed at Manchester United for their entire careers because there weren't better options available.
"The reality is, they only stayed at their club because there was no obvious way to improve on their situation.
"Manchester United were winning everything. Why would they leave? Their loyalty was never tested because there was nothing to test it with."
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