Jarrod Bowen has told Sky Sports that he might have signed for Newcastle but decided instead to move to West Ham.
The former Hereford player suggested that money played its part in his decision.
He met his former Hull manager Steve Bruce, then in charge at Newcastle, at Wetherby Services. But Bowen said he wasn't prepared a lot of money on someone who hadn't at that stage played in the Premiership.
"He said it as well," Bowen told Sky Sports. "Sometimes when you say things and you don't get backed up, you look a little bit like you're lying almost.
"He signed me for Hull from Hereford. He always said he paid money for me, but he never did because I was on a free, which I never understand.
"He gave me the opportunity at Hull and was great with me. He gave me a start in my journey at a club like Hull, which, at the time, was an incredible feeling. I had a really good five or six years there and, then, that deadline day, he tried to sign me at Newcastle.
"I almost thought I was going there. It was pretty nailed on - it was almost done - but then they wouldn't pay the money and West Ham swooped in.
"I was waiting at the services thinking, 'Am I going north or am I going south?' I ended up going south and I've never looked back since."