Houllier warns Real Madrid to stay away from Owen

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier Friday fired off a blunt "hands off" warning to Real Madrid following fresh reports the team is seeking to lure Michael Owen to Spain.

The French coach also issued a strong defense of his policy of regularly resting the striker, who has looked jaded this season after England's World Cup campaign in the summer.

Houllier signalled that Owen, left out for the last two games, would be back in the first team against West Brom on Saturday and warned Real it can forget about luring him away from Anfield.

Real president Florentino Perez is a long-term admirer of Owen and was reported Friday to have warned his current star striker Raul that he could be offloaded to make way for the Liverpool player.

Houllier was scathing in his reaction to the reports.

"My answer to anyone thinking they can sign Michael is that they can forget about it and people can forget about asking me the question."

"Don't ever dream that Michael is going anywhere else, even if I am reading about other clubs. Michael is Liverpool through and through and he is staying with me."

Houllier rejected suggestions that Owen was looking burned out by too much soccer.

"I haven't suggested anything about burn-out with Michael only that the World Cup players have returned to our game and have yet to find their best," he said.

"I took into consideration that he returned from the World Cup with an injury and he has had to have time to get over that. He has had to find his game, but I feel that he has never looked as sharp."

"He has needed a couple of games out to take some of the pressure off him, but he now looks much stronger and sharper than he did at the beginning of the season."

He added, "Alex Ferguson did the same the season Manchester United won the Treble. He sent David Beckham and Peter Schmeichel away on holiday during the season, and it worked, it paid off. But I'm not saying I'm sending Michael on holiday in September!"

"No one is more interested in Michael playing well and scoring goals than myself, that is what I am trying to achieve."