But days before Euro 2024 got underway, a Liverpool club statement read: “The thoughts and support of everyone at Liverpool FC are with our legendary former captain Alan Hansen, who is currently seriously ill in hospital.”

Souness has given regular updates on Hansen’s health over the last week. And on Friday he explained to talkSPORT: “I spoke to him a couple days ago. Anyone who's met Alan Hansen, he has a wicked sense of humour so I've had two conversations with him in the last five, six days.

“Both conversations were me on the receiving end of his humour, so that tells me he's on the way back.”

Earlier in the week, Souness issued an update to the same radio station after host Jim White had described Hansen as feeling “under the weather”.

Souness commented: “Under the weather is a bit of an understatement. I spoke to him yesterday and he sounded fabulous. So I hope he's on the way to a full recovery. He's definitely on the way back because he did nothing but take the mick out of me, so he's definitely on the way back.”

The former Liverpool, Blackburn and Newcastle manager then added: “I was speaking to his son [Adam] and Janet his wife, and I'd been phoning his phone number. I get on the train yesterday and I'm looking for my seat, and my phone rang and I could see it was Big Al.

“I'm thinking, 'Oh, I don't want to answer that.’ So I sat down and then I got the courage to phone back and he answered the phone. He's been in a difficult place, but the way he sounded yesterday, he's back, and I hope I'm right.”

Souness also broke down as he spoke about Hansen while working as a pundit for ITV on the opening night of Euro 2024.

“He was a real quality performer and as a human being, when people are ill people say they were great guys. I’m telling you, he was a great guy,” said the 71-year-old.

“You’d have to search a long, long way to find anyone who’s got a bad word to say about him and that takes some doing. His chat and banter was top-class, he was a pleasure to be around. He’s in the fight of his life right now and we should all say a little prayer to him.”