‘Every year’: England legend says he was desperate to sign for Liverpool when playing

Add as preferred source on Google

Michael Owen says he struck a deal with Newcastle United to sign for Liverpool. The striker left Real Madrid for the Magpies.

Michael Owen says he had a deal with Newcastle United that they’d always accept an offer from Liverpool. Circumstances prevented it from happening, however.

The former England striker was talking to BT Sport for their ‘What I Wore’ series. There, Owen detailed how he ended up at Newcastle from Real Madrid in 2005.

Florentino Perez explained to him that an offer had come in for him of around £16m. Owen expected the offer was from Liverpool, only to learn Newcastle had made the offer.

“Liverpool said they could only go to £10m,” said Owen. “I had a big decision to make, we’d just signed Robinho, we already had Ronaldo, Raul and [Fernando] Morientes.

“We had a World Cup coming at the end of the year. I spoke to Newcastle and they agreed that if I signed for them, I could do one year and then they’d sell me to Liverpool for £12m.

“If I do another year, they’ll sell me for £8m. So every year, it would be more attractive for Liverpool to buy me back.

“Then the mad thing is, I do my knee [and Liverpool moved on]. Every year I tried to go back.”

Michael Owen wanted to sign for Liverpool

This isn’t exactly a massive secret – Owen has been open about his desire to have re-joined Liverpool. We’re also not sure that it’s the insult to Newcastle that many are saying it is.

After all, Owen was at Real Madrid and the Magpies were a major step down for him. Liverpool, too, had just won the Champions League – it made sense for him to want his return.

As it happened, Owen blew out his knee at the 2006 World Cup a year later. That ended any chances of Liverpool signing him, given the Reds would bring in Fernando Torres in 2007.

The Ballon d’Or winner remained with Newcastle for the rest of his contract as a result. Then he joined Manchester United – a move that removed all good will from Anfield. Until then, there had always been a push from fans for Owen’s return.

Now, he’s not held as the club legend he otherwise would have been.