Former Australia captain Mark Viduka has said Elton John nearly told an entire stadium of concert-goers about secret contract talks he had with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.

Viduka, who was playing for Leeds United at the time, was in the city for talks with Ferguson when he was invited to attend one of Elton John’s concerts.

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“I was in Manchester and my agent at the time also had a lot to do with Elton John,” Viduka told ESPN.

“He said stay for the night and come to the show, he had backstage passes and I’d get the chance to meet the man for myself. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

“So I’m there with Jacob Burns, my Leeds teammate and fellow Aussie, as we got ushered into his dressing room.

“As we enter Elton swings are on a swivel chair and says: ‘Mark Viduka, you’re from Melbourne — I love that place!’

“I was nervous, so I babbled on about my meeting with the Red Devils that day and a possible move.

“Instead of going to our seats to watch the concert, Elton gets us to watch it at the side of the stage. About three songs in he says: ‘I want to dedicate this next one to my good friend Mark who is in Manchester today to make a big decision.’

“I’m thinking: ‘S—, please don’t say any more!’

“Thank god he didn’t. I didn’t sign for Man United — I think I loved living in Leeds too much at the time.”

Viduka spent four years at Leeds before playing for Middlesbrough and Newcastle.