Owen in bid for Anfield return Jul 15 2005 EXCLUSIVE by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo MICHAEL OWEN is desperate to make a sensational return to Liverpool. The former Reds striker wants to end his Real Madrid exile and Anfield officials have been alerted to Owen's fervent desire to rejoin t he club he left last summer. A dramatic swoop hasn't been ruled out. However, Rafa Benitez has already made other arrangements in the transfer market and would need convincing to move for the 25-year-old striker. The European Champions have not budgeted for a bid for Owen, who joined the club as a schoolboy but decided to leave for Spain in an ꌸm deal last year. Although Benitez could be in the hunt for a proven goalscorer before the transfer window closes, that would depend on how much he could raise in player sales. His first priority is a target man, with Southampton's Peter Crouch still top of his wish list. Liverpool are interested in the possibility of arranging a year loan deal with Real Madrid for Owen, but that would require some skilful negotiation and appears to be an extremely optimistic option at this stage. Owen left with the Real Madrid squad for a summer tour of America yesterday, but he's anxious to return to England before the start of the season - and Liverpool are currently the only club which interests him. Model professional Owen has never publicly expressed any discontent about life in Madrid, but privately he's become increasingly disillusioned since leaving England. On the pitch, Owen's goal record defies the accepted view he's failed to make an impact in Spain. He scored 14 goals in 22 starts, but he's never completely settled and has found himself regularly on the bench, despite his impressive goal ratio. Owen scored 158 goals in 298 appearances of an Anfield career which began in 1997 and is seventh on the list of the club's all time goalscorers. --

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