Owen to sign for Real
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed striker Michael Owen will move to Real Madrid.
The deal is believed to involve Liverpool getting £8m for 24-year-old England international Owen plus midfielder Antonio Nunez from Real.
"Michael will have a medical with Madrid before the deal is completed," said Benitez.
"I was very happy with Michael and I wanted him to stay. The problem was he only had a year left on his contract."
He added: "Real Madrid started talking with his agent and in the end it was an impossible situation to control.
"The money from his sale will be used to balance the team.
OWEN'S LIVERPOOL CAREER
Born: 14 December, 1979
1996: Signs professional terms with Liverpool on 17th birthday
1997: Scores on his first-team debut against Wimbledon
1998: Scores his first Premiership hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday
2001: Scores twice as Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup Final
September: Signs a new four-year deal with the Anfield club
December: European Footballer of the Year and eighth in the World Player of the Year poll
2003: Scores his 20th goal in European competition, equalling Ian Rush's club record
2004: Leaves Liverpool for Real Madrid
"We still have good forwards here and a good team. We did our best to keep him but, as I say, in the end it was a difficult situation for us."
He added: "I talked with him a lot of times and the only thing I can say is I wish him all the best ."
The signing of 25-year-old Nunez should be completed later on Friday after the player's agent, Jose Antonio Martin Perton, revealed talks were at an advanced stage.
"Yes, it's true, we are talking to Liverpool," he said.
"It's going really well and we hope to have the deal closed in a few hours.
"Even if Owen hadn't happened we were pushing for a move. We have been talking with Benitez for quite a long time, for around a month.
"The inclusion in the deal for Michael Owen has only just come in now."
Martin Perton added: "He is hard working, quick and could help cover the absence of (the injured Vladimir) Smicer on the right.
I'm devastated, Owen is synonymous with Liverpool Football Club
From Liverpool fan
"We think it's a great move to a very professional club. It's very important that they wanted him.
"It will originally be a two-year contract with the option of a third depending on the will of the club and the player."
Owen was left on the bench for Liverpool's Champions League game against Graz AK on Tuesday so as not to be cup-tied and decrease his value.
With just one year left on his Liverpool contract, Owen would have been able to leave the club he has been at since he was 11-years-old for free at the end of the season.
Owen insisted he would not allow that to happen, but the Anfield bosses have decided to ensure they cash in.
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/3560542.stm
Published: 2004/08/13 11:20:59 GMT
© BBC MMIV
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! We have lost one of our major identification players and we are looking more like a club full of multi-national millionaires..... Oh well. Life must go on and with Baros and Cisse up front then we still have good cards to play. Until one of them gets injured.......
