Michael Owen

[Jockstar]

Owen joins Manchester United in shock move

By Soccernet staff

July 3, 2009

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Michael Owen has been confirmed as a Manchester United player. The striker has signed a two-year deal to play at Old Trafford and no transfer was paid as the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle forward was a free agent.

Empics

Michael Owen: A free agent who joins on a deal believed to be incentivised

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson happily confirmed the deal saying, "Michael is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question. Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish"

Owen himself was similarly happy, and said: "I had just begun to talk to other Clubs when out of the blue Sir Alex phoned me on Wednesday afternoon, invited me to have breakfast with him next morning during which he told me that he wanted to sign me. I agreed without a moment's thought.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it with both hands.

"I am now looking forward to being a Manchester United player and I am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here. I missed pre season last year and am pleased that I will be starting at Carrington from day one.

"I want to thank Sir Alex for the faith he has shown in me and I give him my assurance that I will repay him with my goals and performances"

The striker spent Friday morning at United's training complex, Carrington, before heading to a south Manchester hospital for more tests.

Owen left the hospital just after five o'clock and was understood to be returning to United's Carrington training ground to complete the formalities of the move.

The England international had been without a club following the expiry of his contract with Newcastle United and it appeared only Stoke City and Hull City were interested in offering him a contract.

But Sir Alex Ferguson has snapped up a player who is fourth in the all-time goalscorers list for his country.

Newspaper reports suggest the contract will be purely incentive based, depending on minutes played and goals scored. Sir Alex tried to sign the player - a boyhood Everton fan - as a teenager but instead he opted, on the advice of his father, to pen a contract with Liverpool where he scored 118 goals in 216 games.

United have been searching for a new forward since the departure of Carlos Tevez at the end of his loan deal. They had been linked with the likes of Karim Benzema and David Villa, but now it seems Owen will be arriving to pep up their striking options.

The 29-year-old suffered an injury-ravaged time at St James' Park but still managed to score 10 goals as the Magpies dropped out of the Premier League.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker will be hoping a move to Old Trafford will push him back into the thoughts of England coach Fabio Capello ahead of next summer's World Cup finals.

In Manchester and among fans, the reaction has been mixed; Red Devils' messageboards have been lighting up with negative comments.

"Not happy. From what I've seen he is nowhere near as good as he was," was one; while another discontented fan lamented: "Owen hasnt been the same for years!"

[Jockstar]

Scousemouse aint going to be happy about this one. His son is named after Owen.

[Jockstar]

OWEN TO UNITED?

Rush backs Owen to prove critics wrong

July 3, 2009

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Ian Rush is backing Michael Owen to prove his critics wrong with Manchester United.

Owen is expected to complete a surprise switch to Old Trafford, just two days after he became a free agent when his contract at Newcastle expired.

There are concerns about Owen's fitness, with the outcome of a medical seemingly the only thing blocking the deal.

However, Rush has no doubts Owen can prove his class with the Premier League champions.

He told Sky Sports News: "People have knocked Michael Owen all his career but he comes back bigger and better.

"People said he was finished years ago but he's a fantastic player who comes back stronger and better.

"It (the talk) won't worry him, I know the way he is and he doesn't have to prove anything anyway.

"It's a chance for Michael to get back and score some goals. He'll get chances for Manchester United and will score goals.''

Former Liverpool favourite Rush - who scored more than 220 goals for the club in two spells either side of an ill-fated stint in Italy with Juventus - believes Owen would make a good impression were he to return to Anfield.

However, the 47-year-old, who made 73 appearances for Wales added: "Personally, I'd like to have seen him at Liverpool but they haven't lost their best strikers. He (manager Rafael Benitez) will be happy with what he's got.''

[Sparkles]

if he get the service and keep him fit he will bang in 20 goals

He has never scored 20 league goals in a season.

But he has now signed.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...g.html?ITO=1490

Correct but he did over 4 seasons at Newcastle score 30 goals in 65 appearances,pretty good ratio. Interesting that Nicky Butt was with Owen at Carrington maybe he is part of the package !!!!!!!

[Jared]

I say fair play to him. Lets face it, the biggest mistake he ever made was to run down his contract and leave Liverpool like he did. He spent one season warming the bench at Madrid, although he did have a quite good scoring record, just never got the playing time. He then had the chance to come back to Liverpool on loan as Liverpool were unwilling to pay anymore than the 8 million they sold him for. In came Newcastle with a 17million pound bid and a contract of 110k per week. There was no way Liverpool were going to match that fee or the wages. So that was the second time he let Rafa down.

There was no way he was going to sign him this summer. Hes never been the same player he was for liverpool and spent his 4 years at newcastle pretty much in the treatment room. However in his first season he did still look pretty sharp, the last couple of seasons he hasnt looked that great when fit. Hes then faced with the dilema of signing for a team such as Hull or Stoke and then out of nowhere Man U come along and offer him a 2 year contract.

Personally and even as a Liverpool fan I say good luck to him, I think hes suffered enough. Whilst he left Liverpool to achieve greater things, his career has crumbled whilst Liverpool have gone on to be a much greater team and with a Champions league trophy and an FA cup to the clubs name since he left. Really he got what he deserved. I wish him good luck in the future and Im pretty sure hel_l finally get the trophys he so badly desired at a club like United.

So what are the United fans point of view on this signing, especially after losing Ronaldo and Tevez. Rooney, Berbatov and Owen aint so bad but would you also like a 4th striker with a high price tag? Owens always going to be 3rd or 4th choice at United but with his injury record maybe thats a good thing as he wont get burnt out and wont have all the presure he had at Newcastle.

[StevieH]

'suffered enough'? 'good luck to him'? you're far too kind jared. i hope he breaks his leg on his united debut and then the ambulance taking him to hospital crashes.

[sanmiguellight]

'suffered enough'? 'good luck to him'? you're far too kind jared. i hope he breaks his leg on his united debut and then the ambulance taking him to hospital crashes.

Christmas joy and goodwill to all men seems to have come early for you StevieH.

[Theyreallrubbish]

I've never been a fan of Owen but looking at his record he gets a goal about every other game regardless of where he plays or in what team.

That's pretty impressive.

He's obviously not going to lead the Man Utd attack but having a poacher adds another tactical string to Fergie's bow. In the Barcelona game Man Utd lost the midfield battle but couldn't just shut it down as their attacking style requires building from the midfield. With an Owen up front they could make the midfield much more defensive and do the traditional English long ball game when required.

[nev]

I say fair play to him. Lets face it, the biggest mistake he ever made was to run down his contract and leave Liverpool like he did. He spent one season warming the bench at Madrid, although he did have a quite good scoring record, just never got the playing time. He then had the chance to come back to Liverpool on loan as Liverpool were unwilling to pay anymore than the 8 million they sold him for. In came Newcastle with a 17million pound bid and a contract of 110k per week. There was no way Liverpool were going to match that fee or the wages. So that was the second time he let Rafa down.

There was no way he was going to sign him this summer. Hes never been the same player he was for liverpool and spent his 4 years at newcastle pretty much in the treatment room. However in his first season he did still look pretty sharp, the last couple of seasons he hasnt looked that great when fit. Hes then faced with the dilema of signing for a team such as Hull or Stoke and then out of nowhere Man U come along and offer him a 2 year contract.

Personally and even as a Liverpool fan I say good luck to him, I think hes suffered enough. Whilst he left Liverpool to achieve greater things, his career has crumbled whilst Liverpool have gone on to be a much greater team and with a Champions league trophy and an FA cup to the clubs name since he left. Really he got what he deserved. I wish him good luck in the future and Im pretty sure hel_l finally get the trophys he so badly desired at a club like United.

So what are the United fans point of view on this signing, especially after losing Ronaldo and Tevez. Rooney, Berbatov and Owen aint so bad but would you also like a 4th striker with a high price tag? Owens always going to be 3rd or 4th choice at United but with his injury record maybe thats a good thing as he wont get burnt out and wont have all the presure he had at Newcastle.

jared at first it was <deleted> but now i have looked in to it,it is not a bad signing! like said he will be 3rd choice and with wellbeck and macheda comming through he can teach the youngsters about finishing help there game and i think he can be a great impact player for us,and with the world cup approaching i am sure he would like to get the rooney and owen partnesrship going which at one stage was very lethal.

at minumun wage 50,000 quid a week and pay per pay clause he is well worth apunt on him.

[Macclad]

I think Owen is likely to be the 4th choice striker behind Rooney, Berbatov and another to be signed striker,one of the Valencia trio or Huntelaar of Real Madrid,maybe.

True,signing him is a gamble but if United can keep him fit and with next years World Cup as an incentive you never know....

I dont think Owen moving to either Hull or Stoke would have been a good career move for him as he thrives on good service and is only likely to get that at one of the top teams.

[StevieH]

a lot is going to depend on what formation ferguson plays. i'm hoping that he reverts to 4-4-2 to be honest. but if owen's fourth choice and not getting many starts (like tevez) he won't be back in the england reckoning and he'll see his arse again.

[Sparkles]

I think Owen is likely to be the 4th choice striker behind Rooney, Berbatov and another to be signed striker,one of the Valencia trio or Huntelaar of Real Madrid,maybe.

True,signing him is a gamble but if United can keep him fit and with next years World Cup as an incentive you never know....

I dont think Owen moving to either Hull or Stoke would have been a good career move for him as he thrives on good service and is only likely to get that at one of the top teams.

Anyone who follows United would have seen over the last couple of seasons the number of chances that go begging in the box. I did see some stats that last year United created more realistic scoring chances than any other team in the league. Thats what Owen is good at ,tucking them away. He wont score ,probably any, from outside the box thats not what Fergie has gambled on. Gamble is probably a bad term. Uniteds investment is very little. Time will tell if it will be a masterstoke. I am relying on Fergusons knowledge of the game. Everone wondered what he was up to when he signed Sheringham at the tail end of his career, Cantona, not even a regular first team choice for Leeds, His perserverance with Fletcher etc etc.Far more success stories than failures in my book.