Rafa: we snubbed Owen

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has sensationally revealed that during the summer Michael Owen was on his list of potential striker targets but he snubbed the former Anfield favorite and signed Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid instead.

"In the summer, Michael was one of the names on the list of strikers we were pursuing," Benitez told the Daily Mirror. "But Fernando was always top of that list, and the one we wanted above all others.

"When you talk to Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher they say what a great player Michael is, and they wanted him, because he is a great finisher and a good striker.

"But Torres was our top choice because he was young, because he is very quick and he has such potential. He had all the conditions we wanted, and we are very, very happy with our decision. "