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LIVERPOOL FC: RAFA: WHY I SIGNED TORRES AND NOT OWEN

Rafael Benitez today revealed Michael Owen was one of his potential new recruits last summer - but that Fernando Torres was always top of his wish list.

/noticias.info/ Torres takes on Owen's Newcastle at Anfield this afternoon looking to become the first player in Liverpool history to net hat-tricks in three successive home games.

And despite being urged by senior players to bring Owen back to Merseyside in the summer, Benitez is delighted to have instead signed a player who is now just two goals short of 20 in the league for the Reds during his debut season.

"In the summer, Michael was one of the names on the list of strikers we were pursuing, but Fernando was always top of that list, and the one we wanted above all others," Benitez said.

"When you talk to Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher they say what a great player Michael is, and they wanted him, because he is a great finisher and a good striker.

"But Torres was our top choice because he was young, because he is very quick and he has such potential. He had all the conditions we wanted, and we are very, very happy with our decision.

"When Michael is fit he is one of the best forwards in the world. But we thought that maybe Nando was younger, quicker and could do what we wanted, which was to run behind defenders from deeper, and play for the team. It was not just my decision to buy Fernando, the scouting department were looking at a lot of strikers.

"They saw the pace and ability and hunger of Torres. Michael is great but we are happy that Torres is here.

"He has so much potential, and he is still learning. He knows he can improve, he knows he must get better, but the good thing is he is such a nice lad, so down to earth and he wants to improve and get better.

"He was the main player at Atletico, but he doesn't want to be the superstar. He is humble and he has a lot of good people around him, his family, his girlfriend who all have good ideas about his future." notas_de_prensa_archivo