Crunch time for Owen as Liverpool future rests on crucial Champions League tie

MICHAEL OWEN’S Liverpool future will depend on whether he plays in the Champions League crucial qualifier in Graz tonight.

It is believed Liverpool are in the middle of a delicate piece of brinkmanship over the England striker’s new contract.

Barcelona are believed to be interested but are aware that if he plays against Graz AK, his transfer valuation will slump because he will be cup-tied in UEFA tournaments this season.

Owen has been cagey recently about his new contract after 15 months of negotiation. Last week he implied he was on the brink of signing a three-year contract that would have given manager Rafael Benitez a major boost ahead of the new Premiership season.

But those talks appear to have hit a snag with the clear implication that Owen is being pressured into signing before the Champions League starts, and that is something his advisors will not allow to happen, with possibly Real Madrid also interested.

Benitez refused to confirm if Owen would be in the starting line-up.

He said: “Michael is on my list and he can play, I never name my team but he can play, he is listed. It is an important match and we will see, but I do not want to talk about one player.”

There had been rumours of a problem over the contract negotiations and it had even been suggested Owen was unwilling to make himself available because of his delicate position.

Milan Baros has been primed to play alongside Djibril Cisse up front in a game they dare not lose, with around £13million riding on the result.

Liverpool may also not want to have their young striker cup-tied if the negotiations break down, as they could be looking for a deal before the transfer deadline of August 31.

If he plays and then rejects the contract, Liverpool could lose him for nothing next summer.

They could also find his valuation slashed either in this transfer window or come January.

A player worth £20m could end up being sold for a fraction of that.

But Benitez said: “I cannot talk about the future. I have 19 players in Austria and Michael is on that list. I can pick him and if he plays it is because he is the right player for the game. If he does not it is because another player is considered better, nothing more than that.”