Rafa Benitez has revealed that Liverpool were in the market for talented Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov before the Bulgarian chose to move to White Hart Lane; and Benitez therefore chose to go for Fernando Torres instead.

Apparently, Benitez was close to making am ove for the former Leverkusen frontman but a draw with the club in the Champions League cost them the opportunity of landing the player.

Fernando Torres has taken the first choice striker spot this season however, and impressed with returning over 30 goals.

"We knew about Berbatov before we played them in 2005, I'd been aware of him since I was in Valencia. He was a player were were looking at closely," Benitez revealed.

"Everybody can see the quality he has and we wanted him, but then the draw with Leverkusen came along and we couldn't get him. It is shame but we had to move on."