Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen admits he wanted to re-sign for the Reds every time he exited a different club.

Owen spent 8 glorious years at Liverpool, becoming a hero at the club after scoring 118 goals in 216 games before making his move to Real Madrid – a transfer which didn’t particularly work out.

From there Owen moved to Newcastle United, where he played for 4 years before making his controversial move to Manchester United.

Owen went from hero to villain after he joined United, and many Reds fans are still unsure whether or not he deserves his role as a club ambassador.

But the ex-England striker has insisted that he always wanted to return to Anfield, and that he came close to doing so when he left Real Madrid in 2005.

“When I was leaving Real Madrid, I met Rafa in Liverpool in one of the player’s houses to keep it all under wraps,” Owen told FourFourTwo.

“We had a great meeting, we sorted everything out from my point of view, then my agent sorted everything out with Rick Parry in the room next door.

“Everything was sorted for me to go back there, but unfortunately the clubs couldn’t agree a fee. Newcastle then put in a bid which far outweighed Liverpool’s and basically Real Madrid made an ultimatum saying unless Liverpool matched Newcastle’s bid, you’re not going there.

“I spoke to Rafa Benitez but they had Fernando Torres there – every time I seemed to leave a club, Liverpool were very well off for strikers at the time. Even after that I spoke to Brendan Rodgers, but they had Luis Suarez there.

“I tried to rejoin Liverpool at every opportunity whenever I left a club but that wasn’t to be, so at that point you’ve got to further your career and do what’s best for you.