Paul Gascoigne leaned out of window and begged Everton ace not to join Liverpool

Paul Gascoigne almost resorted to tears in his attempt to keep Abel Xavier at Everton and rejecting Liverpool in the process.

The former England international enjoyed a stint at the Toffees from 2000 to 2002 where he made 38 appearances and scored just once. While his tenure at Goodison Park was forgettable, he did attempt to have an impact on the club without his presence on the pitch.

During the 2001/02 season, Gascoigne's team-mate Abel Xavier had agreed to leave the Premier League club in the January transfer window after failing to agree on a contract extension. The former Portuguese international spoke to Sky Sports where he announced to fans that he would be leaving the club but during the interview, a figure high in the sky was pleading for Xavier to remain a Blue.

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That heavenly figure was indeed Gascoigne who was spotted leaning out of an upstairs window where he shouted: "Please don’t go, Abel. I won’t be able to live without you. If it’s about the money, I’ll give it to you". Seemingly on the verge of tears, the Mozambique-born defender couldn't help but laugh at his team-mates antics which he opened up about during an interview with The Athletic.

"Yes, I remember," Xavier said when asked about that moment in 2002. "What a guy. I played with many tremendous players and I can name Gazza as one of the best. Not because of his personality, the funny side of him, but because of his ability and intelligence of a footballer. Wow".

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Xavier ended up transferring to Liverpool for £800,000 where he spent a season at before going out on loan to Galatasaray and Hannover. The former defender – who had 20 caps for Portugal – said Gascoigne was a "good friend" during their Everton days and opened up about the potential the midfielder had in his prime.

"If things had gone on the right path for him, he would be regarded as one of the greatest players England has ever produced," Xavier claimed. "It was an honour to play with him. He was a good friend to me. Unfortunately, he’s still fighting some problems but I hope he can get rid of them and find peace within himself. That’s the most important thing".

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