Football FanCast columnist Adam Thompson feels that Rafa Benitez must pull out the stops and bring in the one man who can make Liverpool serious title contenders.

Euro 2008 hasn't produced any unknown stars for me, in fact if anything it's only enhanced the growing reputations of stars who are dazzling their own domestic leagues, Lukas Podolski, Wesley Sneider and the Tottenham bound Luka Modric have all caught my eye. However one player has been simply fantastic (deadly even) all most as sharp as the lines in his goatee and the spikes on his head and that is Spain's David Villa.

This lad is exciting and it's exactly the style what I wanted to see in this summers tournament, he plays with such pace and confidence he almost resembles the player Michael Owen could have been if he remained injury free. Ironic as Rafa Benitez disposed of Michael Owen at the start of his Liverpool reign but with Fernando Torres the scoring king of the Kop now, the days of Owen playing in Liverpool shirt again is just a romantic's hope.

David Villa on the other hand may not be. Villa's strike partnership with Torres looks a match made in heaven and an essential factor for Spain's success. After completing his hat-trick against Russia the little man (Villa) ran towards the already substituted big man Torres to celebrate, underlining at that point the camaraderie between the pair. As each game goes the Spain number 7 reputation increases, ok its only 2 games in, but 4 goals in 2 games speaks for its self.

Rafa Benitez must be watching with interest at Spain's progress, firstly because of the Torres-Villa partnership and secondly if that pairing could finally bring a Premiership title to Anfield, (the later being the major factor). Will Benitez stake his intent on winning the league by signing Villa? Surprising the only links to the Premiership for the little Spaniard has been with Chelsea, but who isn't linked with them now-days? The surprise is that Arsenal, Manchester United or more importantly Liverpool hasn't shown a firm interest. Benitez is looking for another striker to play alongside Torres, so who better than a man whom he has a current goal scoring partnership with?

There is a bedrock there for Liverpool to be Champions of England again (Bit when hasn't there been?) but surely its time they make another signing as big (if not bigger) as Torres, to make the other 3 Premiership big guns sit up. I'm sorry to say it, but Liverpool isn't going to win the league with a Torres-Crouch or a Torres-Kuyt partnership. With his connections with Spain and more crucially Valencia, Benitez should pull out all the stops to raid his cash strapped former side for Villa. With Torres and his little amigo, for the first time in a number of years, I would actually consider Liverpool genuine challengers to United crown.

While all the talk this summer is about Ronaldo possibly going to Madrid and Barry more than likely joining Gerrard in the Liverpool Midfield, an out and out poacher who can turn their plentiful draws into wins for Liverpool must be purchased and, as Sweden found out to their cost, that man has to be David Villa.

NB - Adam Thompson is competing in our Bloggers Euro Championship so if you can give his article a rating in the voting box, it would be greatly appreciated.

Grp B Austria vs. Germany. 19:45

Or for some alternative entertainment from Rambo...