Michael Owen has warned Liverpool they must qualify for the Champions League if he is to follow Steven Gerrard's lead by pledging his long-term future at Anfield.
Gerrard, who had 18 months to run on his previous deal, signed a new four-year contract last night that will increase his weekly wage package from around £30,000 to nearer £55,000. But, while Liverpool hoped their 23-year-old captain's eagerness to commit to the club would encourage Owen to do likewise, the England striker remains distinctly non-committal.
"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."
Rumours persist as to Real Madrid's interest in the striker, and he has made no secret of his desire to play on the continent at some stage.
The disciplinary process into Rio Ferdinand's missed drugs test will move forward today when Manchester United notify the FA their player wants a personal hearing to outline his defence.
It will be the second missive from Old Trafford to reach the FA in 24 hours, Alex Ferguson having sent in a detailed account about his recent comments alleging the authorities treat Arsenal with undue lenience.
The FA is now scrutinising Ferguson's explanation, as requested by the governing body, for claiming Arsenal had "done a deal" ahead of the disciplinary process into the clashes between players in the league match at Old Trafford in September.
Republic of Ireland under-20 manager Gerry Smith has lost a second member of his World Youth Cup panel in as many days, with Charlton Athletic's Adrian Deane withdrawing from the squad which leaves for the United Arab Emirates on Thursday week.
Deane's withdrawal comes 24 hours after Newcastle United's Stephen Brennan was also ruled out. Deane damaged a medial ligament in his leg while playing for Charlton's reserves against Chelsea on Monday and has been replaced by Bray Wanderers' Eamon Zayed.
Brennan pulled out of the squad on Monday with a thigh injury but Smith has yet to announce a replacement for the Newcastle full back.
Meanwhile, the Scottish FA's disciplinary committee will investigate allegations of racial abuse against former Republic of Ireland international Owen Coyle.
Now player-coach at Dundee United, Coyle (35) was sent off in a reserve match last week for allegedly racially abusing Richie Byrne, who joined Dunfermline from Shamrock Rovers during the summer.
Coyle, who won his only Irish cap in 1994, denies the charge and it is expected that Dunfermline will support his case. Both clubs insist they did not hear the comment for which the player was dismissed by referee Colin Brown.
