(The Cisse Part that is)
Ben'tez ready to clear decks at Anfield to bring home Owen From Matt Dickinson, Chief Football Correspondent in Copenhagen
MICHAEL OWEN'S return to Liverpool was looking imminent last night after his former club made official contact with Real Madrid. The transfer, expected to be for about £12 million, is likely to be financed by the departure from Anfield of Djibril CissZ and Milan Baros.
Owen, whose wife, Louise, is pregnant with their second child, had feared that he might have to wait until the deadline on August 31 to be rescued from Spain, but his transfer gathered pace as Liverpool set about making room for the England forward, who was a half-time substitute as England crashed to their heaviest defeat in 25 years with a 4-1 defeat by Denmark in Copenhagen that Sven-Gsran Eriksson, the head coach, described as "a disaster".
Baros is expected to join Aston Villa for £6.5 million in the next few days, while Rafael Ben'tez, the Liverpool manager, is also ready to sell CissZ. GZrard Houllier, the Lyons manager, has registered an interest and has money to spend after the £26 million transfer of Michael Essien to Chelsea. Newcastle United are also looking for a forward, although they can give up the chase for Owen as he prepares to return to Anfield.
