Owen to sign for Real Madrid

Liverpool :

Star striker Michael Owen will join Spanish football club Real Madrid, the manager of his current club Liverpool, Rafael Benitez, said today. British media have speculated that such a move would be worth 10 million pounds ($US18 million). Benitez, who replaced Gerard Houllier as Liverpool boss earlier this summer, said that when he had joined Owen has one year left on his contract. "Real Madrid knew that, and when a big club like them come knocking you cannot control it," he added. Owen, one of the fastest players in the Premier League, scored 19 goals in 2003-04. A regular with England, the 24-year-old has appeared in two World Cups and played at the Euro 2004 in Portugal. Liverpool left him on the bench for Tuesday's Champions League qualifying match against Austria's Grazer AK, which the English club won 2-0. If Owen had made an appearance, he wouldn't have been allowed to play for any other club in European competition in 2004-05. He had been in negotiations for months to extend his contract at Liverpool, but the talks stalled on Monday. (AP)