Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen is a controversial figure in English football – and his latest remarks will have earned him no love from Liverpool supporters.

He said that, if Liverpool make an offer for Cole Palmer in the ongoing summer transfer window, he should reject it and ‘stay put’ at Chelsea instead. He mentioned that players should not turn down moves to bigger clubs, saying they should ‘always want to better yourself in life’, but does not think that Palmer standing would improve with a move to Anfield.

Owen himself was at the heart of several controversial transfers in is career – perhaps most infamously was his move to United after he came through the youth ranks at Liverpool.

What did former Manchester United player Michael Owen say about Cole Palmer?

Speaking to AceOdds, Owen said: “What, go from Man City to Chelsea to Liverpool? Raheem Sterling’s done it hasn’t he? Like to me it’s all about, and obviously I’ve mentioned this a million times in my career, but if there’s a massive discrepancy in terms of one of the clubs being bigger and you’ve got more chance of winning a Champions League or a League at another one, you tend to always want to better yourself in life.

“I mean, it’s not just footballers. I guess most of the population would always try to better themselves. Of course he went from Man City to Chelsea, but it was only because he wasn’t getting a game.

“But if he had the opportunity to go to a team that was going to give him more chance, then that’s when it becomes interesting. As things stand, I mean, are Liverpool going to win the league or is Chelsea going to win the league? I’d say Liverpool have got more chances but you’re not going to be a guaranteed winner of the Premier League.

“But listen, if Man City came back in for him now and wanted to spend a hundred million, then that’s a different question but I think he’d probably stay put at the moment.”