It is becoming increasingly apparent that Liverpool have lost patience with Michael Owen's contract negotiations and are not prepared to let it be the central theme of the next few weeks as Liverpool begin a new era under Benitez.

Michael Owen obviously has been rocked by the fact that the club no longer wish to bow down to his commands and the recent speculation linking him with Madrid and Barcelona may have been drummed up by his agent as an attempt to get Liverpool back to the table.

But the Real Madrid president has already spoken out today, denying that he is pursuing Owen.

Michael Owen may no longer be the hot property in Europe that he was after a disappointing Euro 2004 in which he was upstaged by Everton's Wayne Rooney.

Whether or not he stays it seems Liverpool have finally decided that they will not be held to ransom by any player, and the arrival of Djibril Cisse may have been a key factor in this decision.

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