Liverpool still hopeful Owen will resist Real Madrid

Liverpool insiders are still hopeful that striker Michael Owen will resist Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and stay on at Anfield.

Even though he was left out last night against Graz AK, a highly-placed Anfield source told the Independent that he still believed he might stay.

Owen and his advisers, SFX, have prevaricated over an extension to his contract and, it is understood, Benitez has grown weary of the negotiations.

Last weekend Liverpool gave Owen an ultimatum and this has reactivated interest from other clubs. Owen has 10 months left on his deal and has already refused to sign a new four-year contract although Liverpool quickly offered to compromise with a two-year extension, with a substantial increase to his £60,000-a-week salary.

Owen's father, Terry, did not travel to Austria on Monday ­ he usually attends Liverpool's away games in Europe ­and is understood to have flown to Spain instead with his son's agent Tony Stephens and other representatives from SFX.