Michael Owen has suggested that former club Liverpool decided against moving for Timo Werner because they wanted to show faith in Divock Origi.
The Reds were considered the strong favourites to sign Werner from RB Leipzig, only for Premier League rivals Chelsea to get a deal over the line late last month.
However, Owen feels that Liverpool were never seriously interested in the Germany international from the moment that back-up striker Origi penned a new deal last July, fresh on the back of scoring in the Champions League final win over Tottenham Hotspur.
"Will Origi and Takumi Minamino be there next season? Yes they will," he told Premier League Productions. "Origi's just signed a new contract and Minamino's only just signed. They are there and they're fixed but that doesn't mean you can't question whether they should be.
"Origi signing a new long-term deal was almost Liverpool... they were loyal to him weren't they? He'd done what he'd done [in the Champions League] and all of a sudden they they thought he's done that so you have to give them a new contract.
"That's now prevented them from going and spending big money on a back-up striker. Timo Werner was obviously a player that Liverpool were linked to and he's eventually gone to Chelsea. I think that type of player would have been brilliant for Liverpool.
"They signed Origi on a long-term contract that virtually ruled out a back-up striker and I'm not sure that they don't need a better one."
Origi has scored five goals in 36 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions this season.
Daniel Lewis
