Owen on brink of United switch

Fri, 03 Jul 16:41:30 2009

Michael Owen will complete his shock move to Manchester United on Friday evening once final medical checks have been conducted.

The former Newcastle striker spent the day at the club's Carrington training complex but left early on Friday afternoon in a black Audi 4x4 to attend a south Manchester hospital for more tests.

Owen, whose contract with the Magpies expired at the end of June, had undergone a medical examination on Thursday to assess the troublesome knee which had sidelined him for much of his stay at St James' Park.

However, it is anticipated the ex-Liverpool forward will return to Carrington on Friday evening when he will officially be confirmed as a United player.

Despite his previous injury problems the deal represents little risk to Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been a long-time admirer of the 29-year-old.

As Owen is out of contract there is no fee to pay and it believed Ferguson has struck a pay-as-you-play deal which will involve a basic weekly wage enhanced by bonuses.

The player has taken a significant pay cut from the £110,000 he was reported to be on at Newcastle, for whom he scored 10 goals as they were relegated to the Coca-Cola Championship last season.

But it is the lure of playing for a top-four club, with the promise of Champions League football again, which excites Owen now as he tries to force his way back into the reckoning with England coach Fabio Capello.

That is particularly important for a player who has scored 40 goals in 89 appearances with a World Cup - likely to be Owen's last chance - looming next summer.

Owen's switch to Old Trafford came as a major surprise as it was thought the former Real Madrid striker's chances of joining a top-four club - let alone the defending Barclays Premier League champions - was a non-starter.

 

Comment 1 - 9 of 9

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  1. Can Yahoo/Eurosports please remove all owen links from­ the NUFC pages - this has NOTHING to do with Newcastle­ United and we do not care about this disgrace to­ football.

    From cameron w, on Fri 3 Jul 7:28PM

  2. Just start in about 25 games and scores 10 then I am­ happy

    From Minh Trinh, on Fri 3 Jul 6:02PM

  3. I hope he will prove useful to the club and justify his­ worth. Owen is a good player only that the injury is­ keeping out of form.

    From Danlami Mohammed, on Fri 3 Jul 5:17PM

  4. C U LATER THEN BUTT MUNCH

    From SHAUN, on Fri 3 Jul 5:06PM

  5. whatever happens man united could just sit him on the­ bench in a man united top and p.i.s.s. of the scum pool­ supporters or he will play and score goals so either­ way its win win

    From reddevils_4life99, on Fri 3 Jul 5:02PM

  6. whatever happens man united could just sit him on the­ bench in a man united top and p.i.s.s. of the scum pool­ supporters or he will play and score goals so either­ way its win win

    From reddevils_4life99, on Fri 3 Jul 5:02PM

  7. whatever happens man united could just sit him on the­ bench in a man united top and p.i.s.s. of the scum pool­ supporters or he will play and score goals so either­ way its win win

    From reddevils_4life99, on Fri 3 Jul 5:02PM

  8. Spot on John.

    From Hutch, on Fri 3 Jul 4:45PM

  9. As Owen approached his last season when at Liverpool,­­ he said he didn't want to talk about a new­ contract­ until the end of it but that they had nothing­ to worry­ about. Liverpool sussed what he was doing­ (unlike­ Newcastle) and were forced to sell him for­ £8mil, less­ than half of his value at the time, or he­ would stuck­ it up them even bigger style and gone for­ free with an­ even bigger signing on fee.
    When Madrid­ decided to let­ him go they wanted £16mil and Liverpool­ wouldn't­ pay that for a player who had fleeced­ them a year­ earlier and offered Madrid their money­ back. We on the­ other hand had no axe to grind and­ payed the money­ which was the going rate at the time­ for a player of­ that calibre (a very different version­ of events that­ were posted on here a couple of days­ ago by a few know­ it all wonkas who I dont need to­ identify, we all know­ who they are).
    Anyway, his plan­ succeeded with us and­ to be honest, had he gone­ anywhere else he would have­ done the same thing again.­ In my opinion he won't­ get away with any of that­ at Man U. If agents demand­ money for this and that,­ Fergie will have them down the­ road and if Owen­ doesn't get his finger out, he­ will be out.
    I have­ to say that I think Fergie will get­ the best out of­ Owen and England could benefit from­ that but I also­ dont expect him to play many more than­ 20 or so games­ for them a season. With the injuries and­ surgery he­ has endured, we will never see the old Owen­ again,­ it's not possible.

    From john.connolly01, on Fri 3 Jul 4:06PM
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