Benitez dangles carrot for Fowler

RAFAEL BENITEZ has held preliminary discussions with Robbie Fowler about the Liverpool star’s future at Anfield.

Although Benitez declined to shed any more light on the prospect of Fowler winning a new contract when his current short-term deal ends this summer, the carrot was clearly being dangled for Fowler to finally prove his worth.

But what is becoming increasingly evident is that Benitez is coldly assessing Fowler’s long-term potential without any sentimentality, and he obviously has doubts.