Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert says talk of a deadline day move to Aston Villa never reached him.
The striker was a confirmed target for sacked Villa boss Paul Lambert.
"I wasn't aware of any interest until deadline day," Lambert told the Liverpool Echo. "I got a phone call from the gaffer about 4pm saying Aston Villa had come in. He said he didn't want me to go but basically offered me the chance if I wanted to play football, which is fair enough.
"I spoke to my agent, I spoke to my wife, I spoke to Aston Villa and it was close. It was very close. It was touch and go. We agreed everything.
"The deal was agreed, but in the end, there just wasn't enough time to say 'yes' - to make a decision in the space of four or five hours for the next two-and-a-half-years. Not just for me, but for my family as well.
"It was something I just couldn't do. It was too short notice. It was too big of a decision to make in the short amount of time I had."
