UEFA Champions League Graz AK v Liverpool Graz, 7.45Michael Owen was last night on the verge of leaving Liverpool after 13 years at the club with Real Madrid hopeful of completing his cut-price transfer by the weekend.
The England striker is close to joining the ranks of galacticos at the Bernabeu in a deal which is likely to cost the Spanish club no more than £10m, with talks understood to have commenced between the player's representative Tony Stephens and Real in Spain last night.
Rafael Benitez is expected to pursue Fernando Morientes in exchange to swell the transfer's overall value to nearer £25m.
Yet that will be of little consolation to Liverpool. Owen's prospective departure will end a tortuous six months of on-off contract negotiations which saw him continually reiterate his desire to remain on Merseyside yet tellingly fail to agree a new deal at Anfield.
The 24-year-old's current contract expires next summer and, with Liverpool due to play their Champions League qualifier against Grazer AK this evening, his procrastination prompted the club to demand a formal response at the weekend. With interest from Real confirmed, they have been forced - if reluctantly - to put the striker effectively up for sale.
If Benitez plays Owen tonight, he would be cup-tied from European competition this season, potentially making him less attractive to suitors - Madrid and Barcelona among them - willing to pay a transfer fee and, as a result, more likely to walk away on a free transfer next summer.
Owen travelled with his Liverpool team-mates to Austria yesterday and trained at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium last night.
His father Terry, who normally travels with the side, did not make the trip.
"Michael is on the list of players (available for selection), but we will see tomorrow whether he is to play or not," said Benitez last night.
"I'd rather not talk about his future until after this match." The Spaniard's squad did not include Danny Murphy, who is close to a £3m move to Charlton.
Last night Spurs ended their interest in Murphy and the midfielder is expected to be joined at The Valley by Arsenal's striker Francis Jeffers in a £2m deal.
Liverpool expect to recruit the Spanish international Xabi Alonso from Real Sociedad and Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips and the suspicion remains that they are losing the Merseyside heartbeat to their side.
Owen may never have commanded the adulation on the Kop granted to Steven Gerrard but he has still become synonymous with the club, not least in its worldwide marketing campaigns of recent years.
Benitez must also now convince Gerrard, the club captain, who was on the verge of leaving for Chelsea this summer, that Liverpool are still moving forward.
Benitez had been ambiguous in his assessment of Owen's situation before leaving for Austria yesterday. "If we have to do something, it's better to do it," said the Spaniard.
