Barca interested in Premiership hitmen

Barcelona have declared their interest in signing Arsenal striker Thierry Henry or Liverpool front man Michael Owen.

Barcelona have declared their interest in signing Arsenal striker Thierry Henry or Liverpool front man Michael Owen.

Club president Joan Laporta insists the Spanish giants have the financial muscle to land one of the Barclaycard Premiership's leading strikers.

He told the Daily Star: "Barcelona Football Club has the capacity to sign Owen or Henry because it has credibility among financial institutions.

Barcelona vice-president Sandro Rosell said: "Henry is one of the players we are interested in.

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Frenchman Henry joined the London club for £10.5million from Juventus four years ago and recently signed a new deal.

Owen however, is holding out on a new deal and has voiced his determination to play in the Champion's League and challenge for a title, something that is looking unlikely to happen at Liverpool in the short term.

The England striker's contract expires at the end of next season and if it is not renewed soon Liverpool will have to look into selling their former European Player of the Year.

I don't want to be just a normal professional," said Owen, whose contract expires in the summer of 2005. "I aim to reach the top and, to do that, you have to play well against the best teams in the world.

"It's impossible to say about my future at Liverpool. If they were winning the league every year there would not be any decision to make about playing abroad.

"There is no problem now. In an ideal situation Liverpool would do really well this season and challenge for the league. I really need to be playing in the Champions League and that is something we have to remedy.

Real Madrid are also said to be interested in signing the 23 year-old.