Owen close to shock Man Utd move
By BBC - BBC News Football News | Fri, 03 Jul 2009
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Michael Owen has left Bridgewater Hospital after having a medical ahead of a proposed free transfer to Premier League champions Manchester United.
It is believed Owen, who was smiling when seen leaving the hospital but refused to answer questions, is now at United's training ground.
Owen, 29, is out of contract at Newcastle and had been linked with Everton, Aston Villa, Stoke and Hull.
But he looks set to be United's second summer signing after Antonio Valencia.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker had checks on an old knee injury in London on Thursday and underwent a full medical at the private Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester.
Owen has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, suffering with groin, ankle, thigh, hernia, metatarsal and knee ligament problems.
The 2001 European footballer of the year has dropped out of the
England squad, but a potential move to the Premier League champions would give Owen the chance to revitalise his career, even if it involved accepting a lower basic salary.
"He has already completed one test on his knee and should he come through Friday's test he'll sign on a free transfer," BBC Radio 5 Live's Juliette Ferrington reported from Manchester.
"Contract talks continued late into the night. It would represent a major turnaround for the England striker who has been hampered by injury problems.
"Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been a long time admirer of Michael Owen and it looks like he has made his move."
Since losing the Champions League final to Barcelona at the end of May, the Premier League holders have sold forward Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m and failed to persuade striker Carlos Tevez to stay at Old Trafford.
The departure of those two players has left United manager Sir Alex Ferguson with a shortage of strikers, with Fraizer Campbell also likely to be sold.
However, Ferguson did bring in winger Valencia from Wigan on Tuesday.
United were also linked with Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who is set to join Real, while Bayern Munich forward Franck Ribery has been linked with a move to the Madrid club rather than the English champions.
Owen made 79 appearances for the Magpies and scored 30 goals in four seasons at St James' Park.
But an ankle injury and groin operation severely disrupted his final year at the club, with the last of his 10 league goals for the 2008-09 campaign coming against West Ham on 10 January.
If Ferguson does capture Owen, it would be reminiscent of his willingness to take a chance on players like the enigmatic Eric Cantona or stars that have suffered serious injury problems like Henrik Larsson.
"United have definitely made a move," said Pete Spencer, sports editor of the Manchester Evening News. "It is a bold move. It could put them at risk of the fans mocking them because they've missed out on Benzema and Ribery.
"Owen will have a lot to do make sure that he overcomes the natural hatred between Manchester United and Liverpool, although he has been at Newcastle for some time.
"United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a record of older players doing well at United and if Owen has got anything like the pace he had before then he should be a hit. Who's to argue with Sir Alex Ferguson?" Continued
Source: BBC - BBC News
It is believed Owen, who was smiling when seen leaving the hospital but refused to answer questions, is now at United's training ground.
Owen, 29, is out of contract at Newcastle and had been linked with Everton, Aston Villa, Stoke and Hull.
But he looks set to be United's second summer signing after Antonio Valencia.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker had checks on an old knee injury in London on Thursday and underwent a full medical at the private Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester.
Owen has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, suffering with groin, ankle, thigh, hernia, metatarsal and knee ligament problems.
The 2001 European footballer of the year has dropped out of the
England squad, but a potential move to the Premier League champions would give Owen the chance to revitalise his career, even if it involved accepting a lower basic salary.
"He has already completed one test on his knee and should he come through Friday's test he'll sign on a free transfer," BBC Radio 5 Live's Juliette Ferrington reported from Manchester.
"Contract talks continued late into the night. It would represent a major turnaround for the England striker who has been hampered by injury problems.
"Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been a long time admirer of Michael Owen and it looks like he has made his move."
Since losing the Champions League final to Barcelona at the end of May, the Premier League holders have sold forward Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m and failed to persuade striker Carlos Tevez to stay at Old Trafford.
The departure of those two players has left United manager Sir Alex Ferguson with a shortage of strikers, with Fraizer Campbell also likely to be sold.
However, Ferguson did bring in winger Valencia from Wigan on Tuesday.
United were also linked with Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who is set to join Real, while Bayern Munich forward Franck Ribery has been linked with a move to the Madrid club rather than the English champions.
Owen made 79 appearances for the Magpies and scored 30 goals in four seasons at St James' Park.
But an ankle injury and groin operation severely disrupted his final year at the club, with the last of his 10 league goals for the 2008-09 campaign coming against West Ham on 10 January.
If Ferguson does capture Owen, it would be reminiscent of his willingness to take a chance on players like the enigmatic Eric Cantona or stars that have suffered serious injury problems like Henrik Larsson.
"United have definitely made a move," said Pete Spencer, sports editor of the Manchester Evening News. "It is a bold move. It could put them at risk of the fans mocking them because they've missed out on Benzema and Ribery.
"Owen will have a lot to do make sure that he overcomes the natural hatred between Manchester United and Liverpool, although he has been at Newcastle for some time.
"United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a record of older players doing well at United and if Owen has got anything like the pace he had before then he should be a hit. Who's to argue with Sir Alex Ferguson?" Continued
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