OWEN Garvan has his heart set on playing for Liverpool if he doesn't get into the Premier League with Ipswich.Garvan has refused to sign a two-year contract extension offered to him by the Blues until the summer when Town's fate will be known.

Derek Davis

OWEN Garvan has his heart set on playing for Liverpool if he doesn't get into the Premier League with Ipswich.

Garvan has refused to sign a two-year contract extension offered to him by the Blues until the summer when Town's fate will be known.

Garvan said: “It is very nice that the club have offered me a new two year deal, but all I'm concentrating on right now is these three massive games.

“All Championship players are desperate to play in the Premiership and hope one day you can get into the Premier League.”

It has been a boyhood dream of Garvan's to play for the Reds, and Liverpool are among a number of clubs believed to have been tracking the Irish midfielder.

Wigan, Aston Villa, West Ham and Birmingham, have all been linked with him but when asked which Premier League club he would love to play for Garvan was unequivocal.

“It would be Liverpool,” Garvan said. “I'm a huge Liverpool fan. I grew up wearing the red of Liverpool, our whole family did. We always watched them as young kids and it was always their shirts we got as presents.”

Not that Garvan would not be swayed if offers came from elsewhere, with Liverpool's arch rivals even in with a chance.

Garvan joked: “Manchester United is a big club and would do, but at the moment it is all about Ipswich.”

After getting through a few problems last summer Garvan has been a consistent performer for Town this season and knows he could achieve his dream of playing in the top flight with Town, something he is relishing.

He said: “It is not a frightening prospect to play in the Premier League. We will probably be relieved when we get there and very excited.

“These next three games will decide if we get into the play-offs

“Everyone had the belief against Norwich, but the problem we have is doing it every game. Consistency has been our biggest problem.

“It would be a big step if we can beat Wolves. It was a wonderful result and performance at Palace. We nicked a goal there and we probably needed to do that more often this season. We will go to Wolves looking to do the same and if that does happen then it will be a massive boost.”

Garvan is convinced that if Town or whoever goes up, they will have to speculate to accumulate.

He added: “Once you get into the Premier League you need to invest to stay there. Those teams that have not invested have come straight down. Other that invested heavily like Sunderland have done better. It is also about the right manager getting the right players.

“Some people have criticised Roy Keane for how much he spent, but he can come back and say look how much he has saved if they do stay in the Premier League.”

The Blues midfielder was last week called up to Giovanni Trapattoni's first senior Republic of Ireland squad but Garvan sees that as just the start.

He said: “I'm not just satisfied with being in the 40 I want to be in the 28 and after that it will only be enough if I'm actually in the playing squad.

“That is what it is all about playing, not just getting into squads.”

Although one of Garvan's uncles, Mick Martin, is an Ireland scout, the midfielder's selection owes nothing to nepotism.

Garvan said: “Mick Martin he will have his own agenda on players he sees. He has not even been to see me play as yet, except possibly on the telly, so it won't be down to him.”

The possibility of a Premier League and full international cap is a mouth-watering prospect for the Dubliner and one that could happen, even if it is not at Anfield.