Premier League boss hinted at huge transfer after UEFA Super Cup and re-signed club legend


Gareth Bale joined the TNT Sports-Line-up before the new season and will cover his old club Tottenham in the Champions League.

Spurs accused a lead of two goals with five minutes to lose the super cup by punishing Paris Saint-Germain.

Bale was a TNT Sport expert at the Europa League final

8

Bale was a TNT Sport expert at the Europa League finalCredit: Getty
Tottenham could not track that by winning the Super Cup

8

Tottenham could not track that by winning the Super CupCredit: Getty

Unless the Welshman dust out its boots to play for Spurs, it does not generate the same excitement as a transfer saga after the Super Cup in 2005.

Rafael Benítez wasted little time to make waves when he arrived in Liverpool the previous year.

The Spaniard sanctioned 8 million pounds after Gérard Hullier’s succession as a manager to Real Madrid.

Owen came only 12 years old and broke into the first team in 1997 before she soon became an English regular guest.

Read more about Michael Owen

The striker remains the club’s seventh highest scorer after scoring 158 goals for the Reds in 297 games.

Owen’s heroic deeds on Merseyside saw the balloon d’Or in 2001 – the last Englishman who raised the coveted award.

Liverpool, however, won the Champions League in the first season without him according to the miracle of Istanbul.

Owen scored 16 goals in 45 games in the Santiago Bernabeu during his One season before returning home.

Benitez initially tried to sign a player that he had sold a year earlier to build the Super Cup.

“We didn’t make a offer for Michael Owen and I’m just looking for a central defender, not for a center forward,” said Benitez.

Michael Owen from Liverpool celebrated after achieving a penalty destination.

8

Owen found the back of the network nine times before becoming 18Credit: Getty Images – Getty

“I smile when I read in the Spanish press that we opened talks with Real Madrid. Michael Owen is a good player, but we have six players in this position and we need a right -hand gaser and a central defender.”

Benitez also rejected the claim of his captain Steven Gerrard that Liverpool could not afford that Owen could join one of her Premier League rival.

“My priority is to work with the players that I have to improve with Crouch, Morientes,” he added.

“I have to concentrate on my team while trying to sign better players, but at the moment the answer is the same: we have six strikers for just two places.”

Benitez ‘Poker face was finally broken in the hours before the 2005 Super Cup by his former managing director of Liverpool, Rick Parry.

Newcastle had agreed to a surprising record contract of £ 17 million for Owen, but the 25-year-old made it clear that he preferred to return to Anfield.

Owen spent a season at Real Madrid

8

Owen spent a season at Real MadridCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Parry said: “There has never been a separation between us and Rafa about Michael or another player.

“It’s not a no or yes – there was a lot of speculation and we will see next week.

“It is always encouraging when a player says he wants to come to Liverpool.”

The Premier League champions finally showed their hand after a 3-1 extension victory against CSKA Moscow in the Super Cup 2005.

But when Liverpool was ultimately unable to reach Newcastle’s offer, Owen announced years later that he had a decision to make.

He said to BT Sports’ “what I was wearing”: “I spoke to Newcastle and Newcastle agreed that I can sell myself for an agreed fee of £ 12 million on Liverpool for a year if I signed for her.

“When I do for another year, they will sell me for £ 8 million on Liverpool and for £ 4 million.

“Every year it would be more attractive for Liverpool to buy back.”

Benitez even alluded to such a clause in December 2005 before Owen’s return to Anfield.

Owen received a mixed reception with a 2-0 defeat in Anfield

8

Owen received a mixed reception with a 2-0 defeat in AnfieldCredit: Getty

Robbie Fowler returns home

He said, “I can see how he returns to Anfield one day.

“That could happen. Why not? He is a top player and every club is always interested in signing good players.

“We tried to really sign it until the end.”

But a month later, Benitez Owen’s former Liverpool teammate Robbie Fowler revealed over four years after his surprise exit.

“I can’t really believe that it happened again,” said the man, who was referred to by the Affield volume as “God” after having transferred free transfer from Manchester City.

“I am so happy that it is terrifying.

“It was great to return to Anfield. To actually get a pen on paper … Well, it’s something I wanted to pass for a long time.”

Owen and fowler played side by side for the red

8

Owen and fowler played side by side for the redCredit: Getty
Benitez decided not to sign Owen because he would not get into the team

8

Benitez decided not to sign Owen because he would not get into the team

Why has Owen never joined Liverpool again?

In an interview about Rio Ferdinand presents fiveOwen admitted that he tried again to return to Liverpool After leaving Newcastle.

He said: “I didn’t go from Liverpool to Manchester United because that would have been practically impossible, but everyone knows that I played in the Liverpool Academy, and when I went to Madrid and then came home, I wanted to go to Liverpool.

“After I went to Newcastle … that almost broke my heart in a way because I didn’t return to what I perceive as my club.

“When I was finished in Newcastle, it was another case from Can I Come to Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers said that he didn’t need me at the time.

Liverpool fans have never awarded Owen to join their arch-rivals

8

Liverpool fans have never awarded Owen to join their arch-rivalsCredit: Getty

“At this point you have to be available to everyone. As soon as I got over it [feeling of] Everyone will hate me and the pain of I ruined everything, etc. etc., it was a child’s play [to join United]. I knew everyone, I played with them all in England, I knew Sir Alex and all the rest.

“So, to play in this stadium, play live at home, I played in the best team at that time, I had the chance to win; the league, the Champions League and all the rest was an absolute breeze.

“I had no doubt at all what was the best movement for the career, and people have to remember that footballers, yes, we have loyalities, but if we can’t play for them.”

Owen scored 17 goals for MAN United in 52 games and won the Premier League title and the League Cup during his three-year magic.

He then moved to Stoke City in September 2012, which proved to be a professional as his last campaign.