CarraLegend

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,428-1749350,00.html LIVERPOOL?S prevarication over the purchase of Michael Owen could cost them a couple of million pounds. The Euro- pean champions remain favourites to sign the Real Madrid forward but Newcastle United may have driven the price up yesterday when, in a move that surprised and annoyed Owen?s advisers, they attempted to ambush his return to Anfield by offering £16 million. The England striker remains hopeful of a move back to Liverpool but he will require more of the patience that has served him so well during his year in Spain. No offer for Owen is expected from Merseyside until after tomorrow?s European Super Cup in Monaco and Rick Parry, the chief executive, may find Real greedy for more than the £11 million or so that Liverpool had hoped to pay to bring the forward home. What was already a difficult set of negotiations for Tony Stephens, Owen?s agent from the SFX organisation, became even more complicated when Newcastle leapt in with both feet yesterday. Owen and his representatives have emphasised to Real that they will consider only a loan move to St James? Park and so the revelation that Newcastle had made a club record bid ? some sources claimed it was as high as £18 million, £3 million more than they paid for Alan Shearer ? was unwelcome for the England player even if it delighted the board at the Bernabéu. Real were more than happy formally to accept the offer and they will now use it as a lever when Liverpool come to the negotiating table. The fear for Owen must be that Liverpool, having sold him for £8 million last year, will refuse to be drawn into a bidding contest but he will dig his heels in if Real refuse to accept a profitable offer from Anfield. ?I said that my ideal situation was to start the season in the Real Madrid first team and if not I would prefer to return to Liverpool,? he said in a statement yesterday. ?The president understood me and said he would try to help me achieve this. If the transfer cannot be finalised in time I have agreed to go to Newcastle United but only on a one-year loan. I need to be playing regularly in World Cup year.? It would not be the first time that Newcastle had acted as the catalyst for an England striker?s transfer. Their bid for Wayne Rooney last summer forced Manchester United to make their move for the then Everton forward 12 months earlier than they would have liked. Frustrated by Owen?s insistence that he would consider a move to the North East only if a move to Liverpool fell through ? and under pressure from the supporters because of a poor start to the season ? Freddy Shepherd, the chairman, tried to force the issue with an offer beyond even Real?s highest expectations but advisers are insistent that he will not be forced into a permanent move to Tyneside, however much that may suit his present employers. Despite repeated assertions from Rafael Benítez that a centre back and right winger are his priorities, the Liverpool manager knows that Owen would improve his side. He has already sold Milan Baros to Aston Villa to help to make room for Owen, 25, and the Spaniard is also willing to listen to offers for Djibril Cissé, who was bought by Gérard Houllier, his predecessor, for £14 million. Liverpool plan to leave their move for Owen until the last minute. The Kop would certainly welcome back a player who scored 158 goals in 297 games in his first spell. He grabbed 16 goals in a difficult first season in Spain, and there are not high hopes that Fernando Morientes, Peter Crouch or Cissé can be relied upon as regular scorers. Meanwhile, Owen fits and frets in Spain. He may sit on the bench when Real begin the league season away to Cadiz on Sunday but he will hope to be pulling on the familiar red of Liverpool after the international break next week

Another good result for Newcastle tonight. Michael Owen would never go there permanently surely? They are abysmal and they'll be lucky to get top half this season.

Thommo cracked me up on Sky Sports News earlier, he was asked about Owen maybe going to Everton and a massive grin come up on his face and he looked like he was about to piss himself with laughter but he took a few seconds to compose himself and just said "Erm, yeah maybe you never know"

Its f***ing hilarious, he's basically come out with "I want to go to Liverpool, a big club that actually wins thing but if no deal can be agreed i'll go on loan to a s***ty club for the season to get some footy for the World Cup" I wouldnt really be to happy if I was a Newcastle fan.

Their local paper is w*** for transfer news apparently.

The BBCS report of Newcastles bid, it says a LFC spokesperson says we dont comment on press speculation

Just make it happen, Rafa. PLEASE! Posts merged: Newcastle bid for him, he doesnt want to go there permanently He wants to come back here desperately We havent made a bid yet according to Real Madrid Rafa wont give anything away An LFC spokesperson wont comment Finally, this is all doing my head in.

They're f***ing idiots. I really hope they end up bankrupt one day, couldnt happen to a more s***ty club.

I really f***ing hate Newcastle, they've probably done this deliberately knowing we cant match that fee, time nearly runs out then they get him on loan. Why cant he come on loan here?

I hope we have Carra etc on the bench if this is true, I know we've got a big lead but all it takes is a fluke goal early on then it changes a little bit.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Anyway im off out, thank f*** I get away with this. Enjoy your night in w***ing over little black players.

Chill out, I just dont buy all this s*** about "If Rafa says this at a press conference he's doing it deliberately to drive the price down" If it was such a commoned used tactic as people say then surely all clubs would be wise to it and think "He's saying that just to keep the price down" It's all b******s imo.

I doubt Real Madrid need to tune into TV channels or read newspapers to know our feelings on Owen. Surely they'd just contact agents or the club to sort stuff like this out

Pissed at Sky? In English if possible please.

Yeah im sure Real Madrid officials tune in to Sky Sports News everyday to desperately find out news on Michael Owen.

The truth would do me instead of saying "Benitez denies Owen interest" when he hasnt said anything of the sort.

O'Leary is on sky aswell saying there hasnt been any contact from Liverpool or any suggestion from Liverpool about Solano.

So once again he doesnt give anything away and at no point mentions he isnt interested in Owen yet Sky Sports News turn it into "Benitez doesnt want Owen" w*****s.

Didnt say he doesnt want Owen, as usual its sky taking it totally out of context. Just mentioned we want a centre back and havent made a bid for Owen

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...050819-1407.htm Rafael Benitez today confirmed Liverpool have received offers for Milan Baros from both Lyon and Aston Villa. Benitez will include Baros in his squad for tomorrow's game with Sunderland as speculation continues over the Czech striker's future. The Liverpool boss admits Gerard Houllier's Lyon have made a "very good offer" for Baros while Villa have also tabled a bid for the 24 year old. Benitez said: "I am in no hurry to sell the player. We have had a very good offer from Lyon and also an offer from Aston Villa. We are now waiting to see what happens. "At the moment he is our player and he will be in the squad to face Sunderland tomorrow." At a press conference at Melwood this afternoon, Benitez was also asked about speculation linking Djibril Cisse with a surprise move away from Anfield. "I am happy with him, he is our player and he is scoring goals," said the manager. "He could play against Sunderland this weekend."

When he walks in the room he'll probably be in his red jumper, red shorts and will smile and put his hands (Sort of saying "Im ready for you c***s") together then sit down.

They didnt announce it the bloke they were speaking to just mentioned what time it was.

Cant see him giving much away. The bloke outside Melwood also said some quotes from Solano will be appearing in the local press later saying he wants to join us.

Its about the here and now and you've done f*** all for ages, what is so difficult to understand about that?

A bit upset that your to s*** to get in there? Nevermind eh? You might get in a CL Final soon like Bayer Leverkusen have in recent years.