Peter Crouch exclusive: Everyone wants me (except Liverpool)

Hundreds of fans queued for Peter Crouch's autograph when he opened a sports shop yesterday - and quite a few Premier League managers would like this signature.

It was fitting that outside the store in Northern Ireland, temperatures were soaring...because Crouch is one of the hottest transfer targets this summer.

Virtually every side outside the Big Four wants the England striker and Harry Redknapp is willing to offer him a staggering £75,000 a week to form a little and large partnership with Jermain Defoe at Portsmouth.

Crouch is on Manchester City's hitlist, while Newcastle and Middlesbrough are also big fans.

In fact, the only manager who isn't keen on him is Rafa Benitez, who has scandalously under-used the England star this season.

Crouch, who has managed 11 goals despite starting so few games, finds Benitez's indifference hard to accept and admits it is flattering to be wanted by so many clubs.

"It's always nice to know that if things did go completely wrong for me at Liverpool, I'd have options to go somewhere else and it's not the end of the world if things don't work out for me there," he said.

"I've not heard from Portsmouth whether they want me or not - certainly not contract talks. I've not spoken to them about any money.

"All season there has been speculation I could be going to another club. I've just always got on with playing for Liverpool until told otherwise."

Crouch, 27, has taken more blows than one of Joe Calzaghe's opponents and Benitez left him on the bench for the Champions League clashes with Chelsea and axed him from his 16 for Sunday's match against Manchester City.

He can understand Benitez's argument about rotation and that it's all about the team winning trophies.

But that means little when he is sitting on the bench at Stamford Bridge watching Fernando Torres and his other teammates' last hope of silverware disappear for another season when he might have been able to do something.

"When you're losing a game and you're on the bench, I always think I'm going to get on," he said. "Not getting on against Chelsea was frustrating and disappointing. It's something I've had to cope with quite a bit this season.

"I've always got on with it and tried to keep my mouth shut and just play when called upon.

"I know I'm not going to play every game at Liverpool, but the year before I had a good season. I played a lot more than this year and ended up scoring 18 goals. It's got worse this year and that can be frustrating.

"I want to play for Liverpool in the Champions League and win things, but am I really achieving these things if I'm missing out on these big games?

"You are part of the squad, but there are times when you feel like you're not achieving that. Whether you want to win things like that or play football is for me to make the decision in the summer."

Benitez has done little to persuade Crouch to stay and the beanpole forward revealed contract talks have lasted a total of five minutes.

Contrary to Benitez's claims the club had offered Crouch a new deal, he said: "There's no contract on the table.

"I spoke to (chief executive) Rick Parry halfway through the season and that's when there was all sorts going on with the owners and no-one knew who was going to own the club, let alone what my role at the club would be.

"They said they'd like to offer me one and we said we'd love to talk. That was midway through the season and now we're going to the end of the season, we will talk.

"It was just a five-minute chat. There was no money discussed or anything like that and everyone at Liverpool will tell you the same.

"At the time I wasn't playing so there was no way I could commit and no way they could ask me to.

"It's not really a question of who owns the club, it's about me not having enough games this season and wanting to know what the plans are for next season."

Crouch claims he cannot afford to endure another bit-part season because he fears it could cost him his England place, despite his 14 goals in 25 international appearances.

The former Southampton striker has seen how Michael Owen has fallen from grace under boss Fabio Capello and knows he needs to be playing regularly.

"I always feel when I've been in the squad I've done well for England, so hopefully that won't change," he said.

"But I do have to be playing for my club more than I have done this season. Any player with aspirations of playing for England needs to be playing regularly."

And in a parting shot to Benitez, Crouch said: "The England manager wants players who are playing regular football and that's what I want, too."

- Peter Crouch wears the new Puma v1.08 speed boot available nationwide. For stockists call 0845 123 7862 or visit www.pumafootball.com

Peter Crouch's Premier League stats 2007-08

Apps 21

Apps as sub 12

Games on bench 5

Mins as starter 767

Mins as sub 157

Mins on bench 1373 (including time spent on bench in games in which he came on as sub)

Total goals 5

Goals as sub 1

Assists 1