Owen benched as Liverpool keep options open

Liverpool left Michael Owen out of their Champions League starting line-up as speculation over his future at Anfield heightened here in Austria.

The theory that he is on the brink of a move to Real Madrid was given more credence by coach Rafael Benitez’s decision to name the England striker only on the bench.

If Owen sets foot on the pitch here for this third qualifying round first leg he is instantly cup-tied from all UEFA competitions this season and his transfer market value will drop.

And with there being a clear hitch now in contract talks at Liverpool the club would not want to see Owen’s valuation slashed if they have to sell him before the end of the transfer window on August 31.

The fact that he has been named on the bench confuses the issue slightly, but it is clear that nobody at Anfield would want to damage their financial position unless Benitez is forced to bring Owen on in a crisis.

Speculation is that Real Madrid have offered £10million, and a choice of players to bring the asking price up to £15million-plus.

But if he refuses to sign a new contract anyway, Liverpool would want to sell him to a major European power – all of whom would be playing in the Champions League – to salvage something from the 16-month saga of contract negotiations.

The Owen situation has come to a head on the day Liverpool were linked with a £10million bid for Spanish international Xabi Alonso and sold Danny Murphy to Charlton for £2.5million.

The bid for Alonso, revealed by Real Sociedad in an official club statement has brought no reaction from Liverpool.

With chief executive Rick Parry and all the club’s officials in Graz for the Champions League game, the Sociedad statement caught the club by surprise.

Benitez watched Alonso, a 22-year-old Basque born in San Sebastian, play in a friendly at Everton at the weekend.

Alonso played in one full game for Spain during Euro 2004, the defeat by Portugal, and came on as a late substitute in the opening game against Russia.

He was the star of the Sociedad team who finished runners-up to Real Madrid two seasons ago but who fell away to 13th place last term. Short of cash, the Basque club were considering selling the player to Real Madrid.

Sociedad’s statement read: “Liverpool representatives have been in San Sebastian where they met Real Sociedad executives.

“In the meeting the English representatives showed their interest in signing the player and at the same time the Spanish club expressed an interest in selling the player.”

Murphy is the 12th player to leave Anfield since the end of last season, and only the second for a fee.

Emile Heskey went to Birmingham for £6.25million, while Liverpool have allowed Markus Babbel to return to Germany on a free, with five of Gerard Houllier’s French speaking clan having all been shipped out on loan to cut the wage bill.

El-Hadji Diouf is expected to join them soon, with a loan to Malaga on offer.

Champions League third-round qualifier, first leg

Liebherr GAK v Liverpool 7.45pm

Liebherr GAK: Scheuer, Tokic, Ehmann, Ramusch, Standfest, Muratovic, Skoro, Amerhauser, Pogatetz, Aufhauser, Kollmann.

Subs: Almer, Daniel Pirker, Bazina, Sick, Majstorovic, Plassnegger.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Kewell, Gerrard, Hamann, Josemi, Cisse, Baros.

Subs: Kirkland, Henchoz, Potter, Owen, Diao, Sinama Pongolle, Warnock.

Referee: Alain Sars (France)

CSKA Moscow 2-1 Rangers RES

CSKA: Wagner 4, Jarosik 46

Rangers: Novo 36

CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev, Semberas, Berezoutski, Gusev, Olic, Wagner, Odiah, Zhirkov, Jarosik, Berezutsky, Rahimic.

Subs: Mandrykin, Semak, Kirichenko, Laizans, Aldonin, Dadu, Shershun.

Rangers: Klos, Ricksen, Khizanishvili, Boumsong, Vignal, Ross, Alex Rae, Arveladze, Lovenkrands, Novo, Prso.

Subs: Graeme Smith, Thompson, Vanoli, Malcolm, Hughes, Hutton, Andrews.

Referee: Jan Wegereef (Holland)