AUGUST 12
Owen deal done as Vieira stalls

By Peter ORourke - Planet Football

Liverpool and Real Madrid are reported to have agreed a deal to sign Liverpool striker Michael Owen, while Patrick Vieira's proposed move to the Spanish capital has stalled.

Spanish sources claim that Real have all but tied up a deal for England international Michael Owen after talks between all parties.

It is thought that Real have agreed a fee of €12 million (£8 million) plus one or possibly two players from the Spanish giants in exchange.

Midfield duo Juanfran and Antonio Nunez are thought to be the players in question that could move to Anfield in the opposite direction.

Liverpool could receive additional payments for Owen depending on Real's success in the future.

Highly-respected Spanish newspaper AS claims that Owen could be presented as early as Friday or Saturday by Real.

News of Owen's possible move to Real emerged on Tuesday after talks over a new deal with Liverpool broke down.

The speculation intensified after he was an unused substitute in the club's UEFA Champions League qualifier with Grazer AK as Liverpool did not want to have him cup-tied fearing it would seriously reduce his price-tag.

It appears that Liverpool have now conceded defeat in keeping Owen at Anfield and despite the relatively low fee Madrid have offered they accepted rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer when his contract expires.

AUGUST 12
Madrid coach says Owen decision already made

By David Prentice - Liverpool Echo

Michael Owen is expected to become a Real Madrid player in the next 48 hours - but the switch is likely to be a cash-only deal.

Asked about Owen following last night's Champions League victory in Poland, Real coach Jose Antonio Camacho said: "I've heard that the decisions have been made."

Sources in Spain say Liverpool demanded £18m for the striker, but they may have to settle for closer to £10m.

Reported makeweights Fernando Morientes and Samuel Eto'o both effectively ruled themselves out of a switch to Anfield last night.

Morientes came off the bench to score twice against Wisla Krakow - and is now cup-tied for the remainder of the Champions League programme.

And Camacho confirmed: "There are no plans relating to Morientes leaving the club." African Player of the Year Eto'o, meanwhile, is convinced he is heading to Barcelona.

In a letter published in the "Sport" newspaper yesterday, Eto'o said: "Today I feel like a Barcelona player.

"For reasons that have nothing to do with me the deal has been delayed for a few days, but don't worry because joining Barca is still my overwhelming desire."

The Reds, meanwhile, are furious by reports and pictures claiming Owen had been banished to train with the reserves yesterday.

An Anfield official said today: "It is rubbish to suggest he is some kind of outcast.

"Everybody started yesterday's session at the same time, but the players who played in Austria obviously finished a lot earlier than those who didn't.

" Because Michael didn't play in Graz, he carried on with the other players who weren't involved which is when the pictures were taken over the Melwood training ground wall.

"There was nothing sinister about it at all."

Owen ' s impending departure will finance a swoop for Real Sociedad midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The 23-year-old was left out of last night's friendly against Basque rivals Osasuna, fuelling speculation that the deal could be close to completion.

AUGUST 12
Owen's Madrid move left in the balance

By Andy Hunter - Daily Post

Michael Owen trained with the Liverpool reserves yesterday as his dream move to Real Madrid hit an unexpected hitch.

Liverpool told Madrid, who have finally confirmed their interest in the 24-year-old, they preferred Samuel Eto'o rather than Fernando Morientes as the £15million makeweight in any deal for the England international.

But the Cameroon international was on the brink of a move to bitter rivals Barcelona last night, while Morientes proved his worth after coming off the bench and scoring both Madrid's goals in the 2-0 Champions League win over Wisla Krakow.

The amount of cash Madrid are prepared to pay for Owen has also emerged as a major stumbling block.

Anfield officials want £10m plus a £15m-rated striker from Madrid after being informed Owen wants to end his 13-year association with the club and join the Galacticos.

But Madrid are believed to have offered only £4m up front as they take advantage of Liverpool's contractual dilemma with the striker.

Unless they can persuade Owen to perform another U-turn and sign a new deal at Anfield Liverpool risk losing the prized asset for nothing next summer, although the striker has always insisted he would never leave on a Bosman.

Liverpool need a sizable cash sum to fund Rafael Benitez's rebuilding strategy, which is expected to see Xabi Alonso arrive in a £10.7m deal within the next few days.

But they need to reach a compromise figure with Madrid to grant Owen's departure after Eto'o insisted he would not be used as a pawn in the transfer and closed in on a £15m switch to the Nou Camp.

Madrid had to pay Real Mallorca, with whom they share owner-ship of the player, £7.5m to own Eto'o's contract outright and the complications of that deal encouraged them to deal with Barcelona instead.

Morientes, along with teenage winger Juanfran, has not been dismissed as an option by Anfield officials despite being cup-tied in Europe, but they may choose other Real alternatives now.

The negotiations over Owen's sensational move to Madrid are progressing with president Florentino Perez admitting he wants the England striker at the Bernabeu.

Perez said: "We are pleasantly surprised that Liverpool are happy to talk about the sale of Michael Owen."

The Liverpool striker returned to Merseyside yesterday from Austria where his non-appearance in the victory over Grazer AK cleared the way for a move to Madrid.

He was left to train with the Anfield reserves along with the other unused substitutes from the Champions League qualifier for an hour as those who put Liverpool on the verge of the lucrative Champions League group stages performed a light warm-down at Melwood.

AUGUST 12
Carragher sees Real appeal

Sporting Life

Jamie Carragher would not blame Michael Owen if the Liverpool striker was tempted by a move to Real Madrid.

Owen has been linked with a move to the Spanish giants and was apparently left on the bench for his club's Champions League qualifying win over Graz AK in Austria on Tuesday so as not to be cup-tied.

Carragher has admitted that while he does not want to see the striker leave Anfield, he would understand if Owen did go.

"I can understand a team like Real Madrid turning someone's head," said Carragher on Thursday.

"They would turn my head if they came in for me.

"You cannot have a go at the lad for thinking about moving on, it is a special club.

"But I play for special club too now and so does Michael, and he realises that.

"But you look at Real Madrid and they are the one special club in the world.

"Obviously I would love him to stay but if he did go I would have a go at the club (Liverpool) because of the club (Real Madrid) that are involved."

After the breakdown of contract talks at Liverpool, it has become a distinct possibility that Owen will leave the club he has been at since he was 11 years old.

It now appears any transfer would have to involve a straight cash deal - probably for around £15million - after Real Madrid coach Jose Camacho allowed Fernando Morientes to become cup-tied in the Champions League win at Wisla Krakow on Wednesday night.

Samuel Eto'o had also been mentioned as a possible makeweight in any deal for Owen but he is determined to join Barcelona.

However, Carragher is still hanging on to the hope that Owen, 24, might have a change of heart.

"We would obviously love Michael to stay because he is one of our top players.

"He has been our main goalscorer for the last five or six years and we would be disappointed to lose him.

"But there was a lot of talk before the game against Graz in midweek, but the lads showed that we can concentrate and be focused on the game to get a good result, that's the main thing.

Carragher added: "While he has been here he has been outstanding. He single-handedly won us the FA Cup and was European Footballer of the Year.

"I mean, he has always been our top scorer so he has given this club a lot of his career.

"There is still a chance he might stay because he hasn't gone yet, and I saw that Morientes scored two last night in the Champions League so he might go there as fourth choice!

"He's not gone yet so there is hope that he will stay. He is a difficult player to replace but we have just signed the top scorer in France (in Djibril Cisse) and we have the top scorer in Euro 2004 (Milan Baros), so we have great competition up front."

Owen has always maintained he would not leave on a free transfer next summer at the end of his contract, and if he is unwilling to sign a new deal then Liverpool must get the best price now.

New manager Rafael Benitez, who wants the saga sorted out now after being shocked to find negotiations have been stalling for the past 16 months, apparently wants a fee for the striker now as he looks to rebuild the Liverpool squad.

Carragher said: "Michael is still our top striker at this club and he will be very hard to replace.

"We have been room-mates and have had a great friendship over the years and I would be disappointed to see him go because he is a great lad.

"We all want Michael to stay because he is our best player, we won the youth cup together and we have been here together a long time.

"If he does go I wish him well because he has been a great servant to the club."

AUGUST 11
Owen on verge of Real move

AFP

Michael Owen appeared to be on the brink of leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid.

The striker, who was left out of Liverpool's Champions League qualifier against Austria's Grazer AK, was widely reported to be ready to quit the club with which he has been associated since the age of 11.

Talks aimed at thrashing out a deal to take the 24-year-old to the Bernebeu began earlier this week and Liverpool's willingness to sell their star striker was underlined when Owen was not used in the club's 2-0 win over Austrian club Grazer AK in a Champions League qualifier.

Owen has one year left on his current contract at Anfield and has repeatedly stalled on signing a new deal, leaving the club with little option but to sell him now or risk him walking out for nothing next summer.

Any deal is expected to involve a payment from Real in the region of 10 million pounds with Fernando Morientes possibly moving in the opposite direction as a makeweight.

By keeping Owen on the bench on Tuesday, Liverpool protected Owen's transfer value, guaranteeing that he would still be eligible to play for another club later in the competition.

The refusal of Liverpool's new manager Rafael Benitez to clarify the situation after the match was also telling.

"On the question of whether Madrid have made an official approach, I don't want to say anything at this time," Benitez said.

"I am sorry but that is it. I understand that you talk about Michael but as I have said before I don't know the future. At this moment he is with us and one of our four forwards, that is all."

Although Benitez would never admit it publicly, Liverpool's willingness to sell Owen may have been influenced as much by footballing as financial considerations.

The arrival of 14-million-pound striker Djibril Cisse and the form displayed by Milan Baros at Euro 2004 suggests Liverpool would not necessarily suffer overly from the loss of their star striker.

Owen's record of just over one goal every two games stands comparison with any of his rivals. But, increasingly in recent seasons, the England striker's best form has come only in erratic bursts.

Injuries have taken the edge off the pace he enjoyed as a teenager and he has never forged a sustained, successful partnership with any other striker at Liverpool.

At 24, Owen himself may also feel that he is in need of a fresh challenge and will realise that the opportunity to join England team-mate David Beckham and the rest of Real Galacticos may not come along again.

For Benitez however there is no doubt that selling Owen would constitute a major gamble just two months after his move from Valencia to replace Gerard Houllier in the Anfield hotseat.

Already there is disquiet on Merseyside that the club's traditional identity with the local community is being eroded by the Spaniard following his decision to offload Liverpool-born Danny Murphy to Charlton.

If Owen follows Murphy out, it will leave just two local boys -- Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher -- in Benitez's first team.

That will matter little if Cisse and Baros strike up an effective partnership and the fans begin to see signs that their team are capable of mounting a sustained challenge to Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea.

If that does not happen, it will not take long for Benitez to feel the full force of the backlash.

AUGUST 10
Madrid may be offer Owen can't refuse

By Mark Lawrenson - Daily Post

When the greatest club on earth comes calling, how does anyone say no? That is what Liverpool supporters will be asking themselves now they have seen that Real Madrid have put in a bid for Michael Owen.

I don't blame Liverpool for being fed up by what seems to have been endless delays in negotiating Owen's new deal, but now they have cutely put the ball in Owen's court by effectively saying make your mind up - sign for us or go to Madrid.

So, what will Owen (right) do? Obviously this is an enormous story as well as a massive call for him to face and a real, real test for anyone. I was stunned when I heard about it, so for the man in the middle, it must be a hell of a lot to take in.

Of course, this is Real Madrid we're talking about here, the Harlem Globe-trotters of football and the biggest team in the game. I am sure Owen will have talked to David Beckham when they were on England duty about what life was like in Spain and just what it is to be a Galactico alongside Zidane, Raul and everybody.

I can't speak from experience, but I imagine it is fantastic and the opportunity to do that must be a real head-turner. I think the majority of supporters would understand his decision if he went to Madrid, because of who they are and what they represent.

He could also think that it is just the right time in his career to try something different and play abroad, which Owen has always been intending to do. Should he go, it would be a blow for the club because one of the star players is leaving, but it has happened before in football and it will happen again.

In my time we had just won the European Cup when Graeme Souness left for Sampdoria. He was the big man on campus and we all looked around and thought we'd never replace him, but the club did and shortly after that we won the Double.

No-one, no matter how good they are, is irreplaceable and £10million could enable Benitez to bring in two quality players. In fact I would not be surprised if they tried to get Alan Shearer on a short-term deal if Owen went, for a year or so, to give Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros someone to play off.

Just looking at the squad as it is though, Owen's departure would leave you with Cisse - who has been electric so far - and Baros, coming off a fantastic Euro 2004, so they would not exactly be struggling, especially with the likes of Florent Sinama-Pongolle waiting in the wings.

On the other side of the argument, Owen would have to leave Liverpool at a time when the club has some real momentum about it.

Steven Gerrard stayed in the summer, Cisse joined and looks great and Rafael Benitez is shedding the defensive overcoat that so hindered Gerard Houllier's latter days, while Xavi Alonso is apparently on his way too.

I think Benitez could play a massive part in his decision by promising Owen that after the struggles he has faced in the past few years, he will receive service like he has never known. That pledge would make it very tempting to stay and help Liverpool back towards the summit of the English game.

Let us not forget either that Owen is a local lad who places great importance on his family ties and roots. Now he has a young child with his partner, that is an even more important factor in any decision he makes.

Both sides of the debate offer compelling arguments in their favour, and I believe Owen must be torn about what to do next for the best.

If I had to choose one or the other though, I think he will go - the lure of playing for Real Madrid will prove too great to resist.

AUGUST 10
Why Owen decision will shape Liverpool's future

By Andy Hunter - Daily Post

The implications facing Michael Owen as he ponders the opportunity to become the next Galactico are enormous, yet they pale in comparison to what his departure could mean for Liverpool.

Should the striker act on his recent intentions and extend his 13-year career at Anfield, a situation that looked increasingly unlikely last night as Liverpool officials refused to puncture the rumours sweeping their own camp, then the gathering momentum of pre-season optimism will increase in the knowledge they retain the power to keep their two biggest stars out of the advances of two of the richest clubs in Europe, Chelsea and now Madrid.

But should Owen take the path Steven Gerrard resisted when he rejected Chelsea's £35million, £110,000-a-week offer and seek pastures new then the knock-on effect at Liverpool will be vast.

A £10m downpayment plus the services of either Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o or Fernando Morientes would, on the surface, appear a decent exchange for a player with less than 12 months remaining on his Liverpool contract.

But Michael Owen means more than that to Liverpool and not being able to keep him at Anfield, despite overhauling their management structure in the summer and spending £14m on a new strike partner in Djibril Cisse, would send out alarming signals it would be impossible to ignore inside and outside the club.

Forced to choose between which of their two greatest assets they would want to keep this summer most Liverpool fans had their prayers answered when Gerrard rejected Chelsea.

Having made his own 11th-hour U-turn with the confidence and reassurance Liverpool could launch a genuine title challenge "from the first day to the last" this season, however, what must the club's inspirational captain be thinking of those prospects now that the main beneficiary of his passing game could be on his way? Disillusioned would seem a safe bet.

Other players would also be damaged by the loss of Owen's reflective glory, not least record signing Cisse who finally arrived at Liverpool in the hope of forging a fruitful partnership with the England international.

But it is the impact an Owen exit would have on Gerrard that would cause most concern among the rank-and-file as he watches a fellow world class talent leave and dent Liverpool's prospects of an immediate revival this season in the process. And that is just the consequences among the playing staff.

Should Owen and Danny Murphy both leave Anfield in the next few days it will mark the end of an era for Liverpool, albeit one that failed to hit the heights promised only two years ago, and will mean that within a month of working with his new squad Rafael Benitez has seen most of the English heart ripped out of it.

The sanctioned sale of Murphy was understandable when it appeared the only way to raise funds for a £10m move for Xabi Alonso but less so if Liverpool were aware that money for Owen was in the pipeline.

Perhaps they were not aware, or perhaps Benitez is bravely implementing wholesale change following two seasons of underachievement and will fill the void with a quality alternative. Time will reveal all.

But it is only 10 days since Owen spoke of his belief that the club will present a much more formidable championship challenge this season under Benitez, even though that was under-scored with the ambition that challenge and achievement are two very different spheres in football.

Owen said: "Most people in football are very ambitious and I am no different. I want to win the biggest prizes and that is no different to when I started out in the game.

"We were far away from winning any of the main prizes last season so we need to catch up a lot now.

"There is no doubt that a change of management has spurred people on and it gives everyone the sense of a fresh start.

"We were not close to any of the major honours last year but I am convinced we will be much closer this season."

Medals not money has always been the motivating force for Owen, a 24-year-old rich beyond care but who in eight years as a Liverpool regular has not once been close to winning the Premiership or the Champions League.

Now, after indicating he wants to at least listen to what Madrid have to offer following an approach at the weekend, it seems he doubts whether Liverpool can actually win either within the next year or two.

And that is what will occupy his mind as he decides whether and where to go next.

Owen exploded on to the Liverpool scene at 17, the international conscience a year later with that goal, and, impossible though it seemed at the time, his stock is in danger of decline with every passing season without the pinnacles of success at home and abroad.

With a limited career at the very top now heading towards its peak the question throughout his contract negotiations was always how much longer he was prepared to give Liverpool to realise his ambitions. With Madrid now on the scene, that timespan could shorten drastically.

Owen has given loyal and magnificent service to Liverpool since joining the club as an 11-year-old schoolboy, doing as much to promote the club's image around the world as to revive pride and brief success, most notably winning the FA Cup single-handedly against Arsenal in 2001.

Loyalty in a modern-day footballer is a rare virtue, and while many will wish Owen well if he succumbs to the lure of the Bernabeu others will criticise the tortuous delay in reaching a decision on a new deal.

But Liverpool must share responsibility for that too. At best they are guilty of taking the striker's loyalty for granted, at worst, of a costly business error.

How one of the most high-profile figures in world football, a man with a £50m price-tag on his head when he won the Ballon D'Or in 2002, was able to reach the final 10 months of a contract and put the club into a corner on the eve of a crucial Champions League qualifier worth at least £17m is a mystery that must be answered at a later date.

But the mystery of where Owen's future lies - Merseyside or Madrid - is about to be revealed within days.

AUGUST 10
Madrid on red alert as Owen talks collapse

By Tim Rich - The Independent

Michael Owen's glittering association with Anfield appeared to be at breaking point last night as both club and player debated whether it was worth him appearing in Liverpool's most vital fixture of the season.

As Real Madrid and Barcelona prepared contract offers for the 24-year-old, the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez refused to state whether Owen would play in this evening's Champions' League qualifier with AK Graz, worth around £15m to the winners. If Owen participated, he would be ineligible for any Uefa competition this season which would reduce his value to both Spanish clubs - and his value as a transfer asset to Liverpool.

Owen and his advisers have spent the last 15 months negotiating a new contract to replace the existing deal which expires next year. Despite initial optimism from the Liverpool chief executive, Rick Parry, talks in New York during the club's American tour proved fruitless. Owen's mood would have not have been improved by Benitez informing his close friend, Danny Murphy, that the midfielder had no future at Anfield. That Murphy's move to Tottenham broke down yesterday would have had little bearing on Benitez's resolve not to pick him again.

The Liverpool manager, whose success in persuading Steven Gerrard to reject Chelsea's advances, won him early respect at Anfield, pointedly refused to discuss the striker as Liverpool trained at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium yesterday. "I cannot talk about the future," he said. "I have 19 players in Austria and Michael is on the list. If he plays, it is because he is the right player for the game. If he does not, it is because another player is considered better, nothing more than that."

It is likely that Benitez will start Djibril Cissé and Milan Baros in attack, an acceptable combination of Liverpool's record signing and Euro 2004's leading scorer, who has given him no assurances he wishes to remain on Merseyside. Leaving Baros out might precipitate a crisis all of its own, although one not so dear to Liverpool hearts.

Benitez has already allowed 10 members of Gérard Houllier's expensively assembled squad to leave, ranging from costly flops such as El Hadji Diouf and Bruno Cheyrou to genuinely-regarded talent in the shape of Anthony Le Tallec. Owen's removal would be in a different order entirely, since he joined the club as an 11-year-old and is Liverpool's most marketable footballer.

Nevertheless, Liverpool would not regard his departure with the foreboding that they saw Gerrard's proposed transfer to Chelsea. Despite Houllier using every kind of strike partner for him, Owen's last two seasons at Anfield have been disappointing and Liverpool are desperate to avoid a repeat of the situation that allowed Steve McManaman to leave Anfield for Madrid in 1999 without a transfer fee. Before setting off for Austria, Benitez cryptically remarked about Owen that: "If we have to do something, then it's better to do it."

Having failed in prising Thierry Henry from Arsenal, Owen would make an acceptable substitute to Real Madrid, who may offer a player in part-payment. They have a half-share in Samuel Eto'o, a striker Benitez tried to sign when managing Valencia, although Fernando Morientes would prove less of an attraction. Failing that, £20m should make an acceptable war-chest for the Spaniard.

AUGUST 9
Owen on the brink

By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo

Michael Owen's Anfield future is in the balance after an 11th hour crisis in contract talks.

The Liverpool strike is unlikely to play in the Champions League qualifier against AK Graz unless his situation is resolved within the next 24 hours.

Owen continued negotiations about a new deal in New York last week and was close to agreeing terms, but it's believed clubs from abroad - including Barcelona - have shown late interest to sign him.

Real Madrid have also had a long-term interest in the striker.

The ECHO understands that's forced the 24-year-old into the biggest decision of his career.

He must either sign a new deal now or leave the club immediately to ensure Liverpool get a decent fee for his services.

Owen doesn't want to exit Liverpool on a free transfer, but unless he's sold before August 31 or signs the contract on offer, that's the only option left.

The timing of tomorrow's Champions League qualifier has created a major dilemma for both the player and his club.

Neither party wants Owen cup-tied because if contract talks break down after the fixture, both will lose out.

If Owen plays in Austria, he'll only be eligible to play in Europe for Liverpool this season. That will effectively end any possibility of him being transferred to a top continental club before next summer.

Any joy at keeping Owen for another season must be balanced by the fact Liverpool would then risk losing a £10m asset on a free Bosman transfer - unless the striker signs a new deal.

Rafael Benitez's first teamsheet for a competitive Liverpool match now promises to be one of his most important.

If Owen's name is on it, it indicates the forward will pledge his future to the club and sign fresh terms.

If the worst case scenario materialises and he isn't, an illustrious Anfield career could be coming to an end.
However, Benitez tried to play down the situation today, saying: "For me the most important thing is the match and I don't want to talk about individual players.

"Michael will travel with the team and I can use him if I want. I won't decide on the starting XI until half-an-hour before the match.

"I train with all the squad, not just 11 players and my job at the moment is simply to prepare the team for a big game tomorrow."

AUGUST 5
Owen close to new Reds deal

Sporting Life

Liverpool ace Michael Owen could sign his new contract before the Premiership season kicks off on Saturday week.

The striker has gone on record saying that he is happy at Liverpool because "the club is in my blood" but the all-important day when he finally puts pen to paper on a new three-year contract is still to come.

But he has returned from Liverpool's US tour insisting that an agreement is a step nearer after meetings were held between the club and his agent Tony Stephens in New York last week.

And crucially, Owen sees the next week as vital in the process which will finally see him put an end to months of speculation.

Owen said: "There is no rush, but there has been a meeting in New York last week and there will be another one next week."

That will take place probably without Owen's involvement while he is away with Liverpool in Austria for their Champions League third qualifying round first leg with Graz AK next Tuesday.

But by the time the Premiership starts at Tottenham the following Saturday, Owen could well have given the go-ahead to the deal.

He said: "People were talking about the talks months ago, before they had even started. And in fact we have only had about four or five meetings.

"And at the moment there is no agreement because I haven't signed anything.

"But it is getting closer. As I say, there is no rush but it is not a problem. Next week's meeting will iron a few more things out."

Liverpool will then hope that they can put an end to what is over a year of complicated negotiations.

Owen is now in the final year of his contract and will almost certainly sign a new three-year deal on over £80,000 a week.

That would be a second major coup for new boss Rafael Benitez and the Liverpool hierarchy, having seen Steven Gerrard turn down a move to Chelsea this summer and commit himself to Anfield.

JULY 30
Owen hopes talks will conclude soon

Sporting Life

Liverpool striker Michael Owen is hoping to reach agreement on a new Anfield contract before the start of the Barclays Premiership season.

England forward Owen has just one year left on his current deal but has been in negotiations with the club over an extension for some time.

The 24-year-old is currently in the United States preparing for the second game of the club's pre-season tour against Porto in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Owen told the club's official website, www.liverpoolfc.tv: "I haven't signed yet. We're still in talks and we've got further meetings planned.

"We've been speaking for a long time but not since the new manager took charge. No-one, including myself, wants this to drag on into the season and hopefully it will all be concluded soon."

Owen has so far been impressed with new manager Rafael Benitez, believing the Spaniard has had a positive effect on the squad during the pre-season programme.

He added: "It's very good for the club, for me and for everyone to have a manager with a proven track record.

"Rafa left a very successful team in Valencia to come here to Liverpool and that is a big boost for everyone, not just me.

"I think Gerard Houllier brought a lot to Liverpool and I think everyone would thank him for that.

"But a change in management has been made now and the new boss has his own new ideas and focuses."

JULY 28
Parry: No Owen progress -
No deal to be signed in America

Kop Talk

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry says Michael Owen hasn't agreed a new contract with the club and that his agent has only jetted out to America for more talks.

Local media reports had claimed that the Tony Stephens was flying out to meet Parry to have the contract rubber-stamped but the chief exec unfortunately says that isn't the case.

Asked if there had been any developments, Parry said: "No. Bizarrely people seem to have been convinced that the contract was going to be signed out here, which is not the case at all.

"It's much as before and when there is a positive development we will say so. Talks are ongoing, they are amicable and there is no great concern on our part.

"We are not trying to force Michael into it and we will get there when we are both ready.

"We are hoping he will sign for sure. It's not about signing at the end of the day, it's more about does Michael want to be at Liverpool? That's the big question. Does he believe, as we do, that things are on the up and we are going to have a good run. That's the key issue.

"It's not just about putting pen to paper. It's about convincing Michael that we are going to have a good few years ahead of us.

"Just like with Stevie Gerrard, Michael is ambitious and wants to win trophies, but of course so do we."

JULY 3
Owen agrees new deal

By Paul Higham - Planet Football

Michael Owen is set to hand Liverpool another huge boost before the start of the new season by signing a new contract at Anfield.

The England marksman's future has been under intense criticism for months, with his current deal due to expire at the end of the coming season.

The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have been hovering around, with Owen refusing to commit himself one way or another.

Owen always said that he would not wait until the end of his contract and leave on a Bosman, meaning that he would either sign or leave Merseyside this summer.

The 24-year-old has now reportedly agreed to sign a new two-year contract, worth around £80,000-a-week, to settle his future for the time being.

Owen should pen the deal before he jets off on holiday next week, and the news will be a massive bonus to all Reds fans - coming hot on the heels of Steven Gerrard turning down a move to Chelsea.

The skipper's decision may well have influenced Owen, as has the appointment of new manager Rafael Benitez, as both players are desperate to challenge for the Premiership title with Liverpool.

Reds chief executive Rick Parry would have preferred Owen to sign a lengthy contract, but the two-year deal is believed to be a compromise which will allow Owen to see how successful the club are under Benitez before making a further decision.

The news will also be a boost for Benitez who can now count on both his England stars for the coming season.

With Djibril Cisse also arriving at Anfield from Auxerre, Czech Republic star Milan Baros in red-hot form at Euro 2004, and the reported move for Dutch star Edgar Davids, Reds fans have renewed hope for the coming year.

JUNE 27
Owen worried by Gerrard rumours

Ananova

Michael Owen has warned Liverpool that it would be "a catastrophe" if Steven Gerrard leaves the club this summer.

Anfield skipper Gerrard has been linked with a move to mega-rich Chelsea but Owen believes no amount of money could compensate for the loss of his England teammate.

Owen told the News of the World: "I think it would be impossible to replace Stevie. He is the driving force and such a strong influence on our team.

"Last season he was our player of the year by a country mile and it would seriously weaken the side if he were to leave.

"I am merely echoing what all Liverpool fans would be thinking by describing it as a catastrophe."

Owen's own future has also been the subject of much speculation, with the striker still to decide on whether to sign a new contract with Liverpool.

He has welcomed the appointment of former Valencia boss Rafael Benitez as Gerard Houllier's replacement but wants further evidence that the Reds can compete for top honours next season.

"I am not issuing any ultimatums or threats, that is not my style," added Owen. "But I do need to be sure we have a team that can close the gap on the top two clubs. That has been my position all along.

"Myself, Stevie Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and the Liverpool coach Sammy Lee met the new boss in Portugal and were very impressed with what he said.

"He told us the direction he wanted to take the club and the sort of players he wanted to sign. Now we need to see that happen."

JUNE 21
Owen on verge of Reds record

By Chris Bascombe in Lisbon - Liverpool Echo

Michael Owen will rewrite Anfield history today when he equals Emlyn Hughes' record as the most capped Liverpool England international.

The Reds striker will play his 59th game for his country when he faces Croatia in the Stadiumof Light.

An England point will ensure Owen gets the chance to break the record in his own right in the quarter-final of Euro 2004.

During his time at Anfield, Hughes also played 59 games for England. The ex-skipper went on to make further appearances during his time at Wolves.

But no-one will have worn the three lions as a Liverpool player more than Owen after tonight's encounter, in which England only need a draw to secure qualification from Group B.

"It's always a proud moment to get any kind of record," said Owen today.

"If someone had told me I'd have played more times for England than any other Liverpool player by the time I was 24, I would never have believed them.

"Obviously what's important for me and the team is I get the chance to win my 60th cap in Portugal, and hopefully my 61st and 62nd after that because that will mean we're in the final."

Owen has been under some pressure having failed to score in the opening two games against France and Switzerland.

He's been overshadowed by his strike partner Wayne Rooney so far, but his record when it really matters remains second to none.

Owen has scored 25 goals in his 58 international so far and is one short of entering the top ten of England's great-est ever goalscorers.

There was some speculation he may be left out against the Croats, but England assistant coach Steve McClaren rejected those claims.

"Dropping him has never been on the agenda," said McClaren. "He has proved invaluable to England in the past, he's playing a major part in this tournament and I think he will only get better.

"Michael would admittedly be disappointed that he hasn't scored a goal and probably played as well as he would have liked. But he's world-class and he gains the respect of every defender he plays against, and he will score goals.

"There was an improvement in the last game and, if he's not scoring, then he must do as he did against Switzerland - set up goals and create room for other people like Wayne Rooney.

"Michael Owen is the number one goalscorer for England, whom everyone fears, so there will be a game-plan to stop him. But if they stop that, that doesn't mean they stop things for other players and that's why other players have had room and Wayne Rooney has contributed so greatly.

"Credit goes to Michael for that. As long as he's contributing to the team, he's doing a great job."

Thor Zakariassen ©