The Argentinian that got away from Anfield

As Liverpool prepare for Wednesday's Champions League match away to Atlético Madrid, Rafael Benítez has admitted that the club passed up the chance to sign Sergio Agüero, the Argentina forward who has become one of the game's hottest properties.

Agüero was linked with a move to Anfield as a 17-year-old with Independiente in the spring of 2006 and was reportedly receptive to the idea, but he joined Atlético that summer. Now 20, he has blossomed since Fernando Torres left Atlético for Merseyside and was the third-highest scorer in La Liga last season.

"Two years ago the agents were talking with us about players and he was one of those but he was too young and [Atlético] paid big money for him, around 18 million euros [about £14 million] for a player who was a risk," the Liverpool manager said. "In the Premier League it's different and sometimes players will need more time here to improve."

Liverpool could face old boys on Wednesday in the shape of Luis García and Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who failed to shine at Anfield but has impressed in Spain. The striker left Liverpool for Recreativo Huelva on a loan in 2006 that became permanent the next year, and joined Atlético last July. "We had a lot of confidence in him, we knew that he's a good player but he needed to play games," Benítez said. "We had Crouch, we were bringing in Torres, it was a question of space."

Liverpool kept pace with Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 3-2 win on Saturday over Wigan Athletic. Steve Bruce, the Wigan manager, said bigger clubs are circling his best players before the January transfer window. Emile Heskey has been linked with a move to Liverpool and speculation will grow about the future of Amr Zaki after his spectacular start to the season. Zaki scored twice against Liverpool, with his second goal one of the best of the season so far.

The Egypt forward is the Premier League's leading goalscorer, with seven in eight league matches, but is only on a season-long loan at Wigan from El Zamalek, of Cairo, where he is contracted until 2012. "Everybody will be checking his situation now," Benítez said. Wigan are thought to have paid about £1.25 million to sign Zaki on loan, with another £500,000 due if he reaches ten league goals, but they do not have an option for a permanent deal.