if it hadn't been for that pesky European Cup 
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez almost signed Dimitar Berbatov
By David Maddock 10/05/2008
(What's this?)Fernando Torres aims to write himself into the Premier League record books tomorrow.
But if the Champions League draw had been just a little different three years ago, it may have been a different Kop idol firing in the goals for Liverpool.
Torres lines up against Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov tomorrow amid inevitable comparisons between the talented strikers.
Yet it is a little known fact that Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez came agonisingly close to signing the Bulgarian striker when he first arrived on Merseyside.
Berbatov was then leading the line for Bayern Leverkusen, and Benitez entered into extensive negotiations with the German club to sign the striker in the January transfer window of his first season in 2005.
But then Liverpool were paired with Leverkusen in the last 16 of the Champions League and negotiations were abruptly ended, with the Spanish coach instead forced to turn to Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes.
"We knew about Berbatov before we played them in 2005, I'd been aware of him since I was in Valencia. He was a player were were looking at closely," Benitez explained.
"Everybody can see the quality he has and we wanted him, but then the draw with Leverkusen came along and we couldn't get him. It is shame but we had to move on."
Benitez had to wait for three years to get a striker of Berbatov's quality but his patience has been spectacularly repaid this season, with club record £21.5million signing Torres offering a spectacular return of 32 goals.
And 23 of those have come in the Premier League. If Torres scores against Spurs tomorrow he will break the record for a foreign striker in his first Premiership season, currently held by Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Benitez said: "We knew he was a good player but to score more than 30 goals in a first season in England is a fantastic achievement," he said. "To do what he has is incredible."
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez almost signed Dimitar Berbatov
By David Maddock 10/05/2008
(What's this?)Fernando Torres aims to write himself into the Premier League record books tomorrow.
But if the Champions League draw had been just a little different three years ago, it may have been a different Kop idol firing in the goals for Liverpool.
Torres lines up against Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov tomorrow amid inevitable comparisons between the talented strikers.
Yet it is a little known fact that Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez came agonisingly close to signing the Bulgarian striker when he first arrived on Merseyside.
Berbatov was then leading the line for Bayern Leverkusen, and Benitez entered into extensive negotiations with the German club to sign the striker in the January transfer window of his first season in 2005.
But then Liverpool were paired with Leverkusen in the last 16 of the Champions League and negotiations were abruptly ended, with the Spanish coach instead forced to turn to Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes.
"We knew about Berbatov before we played them in 2005, I'd been aware of him since I was in Valencia. He was a player were were looking at closely," Benitez explained.
"Everybody can see the quality he has and we wanted him, but then the draw with Leverkusen came along and we couldn't get him. It is shame but we had to move on."
Benitez had to wait for three years to get a striker of Berbatov's quality but his patience has been spectacularly repaid this season, with club record £21.5million signing Torres offering a spectacular return of 32 goals.
And 23 of those have come in the Premier League. If Torres scores against Spurs tomorrow he will break the record for a foreign striker in his first Premiership season, currently held by Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Benitez said: "We knew he was a good player but to score more than 30 goals in a first season in England is a fantastic achievement," he said. "To do what he has is incredible."
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