Sir Alex Ferguson gave a Manchester United legend the phone number of a former player he was trying to sign, calling it a “weird” moment.

Paul Scholes recently shared that he played a “small part” in Manchester United’s signing of Wayne Rooney under Sir Alex Ferguson’s leadership.

The 49-year-old, hailed as one of the greatest midfielders, spent his entire career at Old Trafford, emerging from the youth ranks to become a vital player under Ferguson as part of the famous “Class of ’92.” Scholes made 714 appearances and scored 153 goals, winning 11 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, three FA Cups, and two League Cups.

Initially retiring in 2011, Scholes returned in 2012 to help United claim their last Premier League title under Ferguson before retiring again in 2013.

On the Football’s Greatest podcast, Scholes recalled how Ferguson involved him in the attempt to sign Rooney from Everton, after Rooney’s standout performances under David Moyes. When Ferguson wanted to bring the 18-year-old forward to United in 2004, he asked Scholes to reach out. Ferguson shared Rooney’s number with Scholes, leading to an unusual call, as Scholes had never spoken with Rooney before.

Though Rooney eventually joined United, he later expressed on The Overlap that Steven Gerrard, not Scholes, was the most complete midfielder, saying Gerrard’s versatile skill set could have allowed him to shine at United as Scholes did. Rooney added that while Gerrard could replicate Scholes’ style, Scholes might not have been able to match Gerrard’s contributions at Liverpool.