Michael Owen

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Taking from BBC...

Michael Owen has admitted talking with "three or four" Premiership clubs amid reports he wants to return to England.

Interesting to see who this is seeing as Liverpool and Chelsea have ruled themselves out of the move.

Im thinking Man Utd, Newcastle, Everton and possibly Arsenal. I wouldn't be surprised either to see Spurs go for him either.

[all_funkt_up]

Well, I am pretty much sick and tired of this. I imagine Michael Owen is getting fed up of reading each day where he is off to. He came out in the press today pledging allegiance to Real (once again) - cant help feeling that a deal is inevitable. Surely if Real werent interested in selling and Owen wasnt interested in being sold, this would have been put to bed long ago. The fact that it has dragged on this long tells me that something is on the cards...

[zonker84]

I wonder what though. Manchester United have denied that they've contacted Real Madrid. Yet they've just sold Phil Neville and Kleberson to raise about £6m.

Maybe even Arsenal or Chelsea are quietly trying to sign him. It'll be interesting to see where he is on Sept 1st

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

I know its only one game but i think Mourinho will have liked what he saw from Drogba yesterday and if he was considering the deal he will let it lie for aslong as he can. I really don't see Chelsea gettin him.

You could definately be onto something with Man Utd selling players. Especially when i watched in an interview 2 weeks ago Ferguson saying he was more than happy with Phil Neville and he would be there for a while yet. What changed his mind so quick? As it seems as much as a surprise to Neville of his move.

Newcastle seem to be the only one's openly admitting interest in him but thats a bit of a long shot really as to if it would go through there. If Owen got desperate and felt his World Cup place was under thread then he might have to consider it.

Im expecting a massive season from Defoe this one so there is going to be a lot of pressure on the decision Owen makes.

Didn't the Robinho transfer at madrid fall through??

If so then Owen isn't really in such a bad position. You have Raul, Ronaldo and Baptista to contend with. All of which will be used for Champions League football leaving Owen to play in the La Liga games they are rested.

Also it will be interesting to see how they play Baptista and whether it will be out and out striker or more of a midfielder? If they choose the latter then its more good news for Owen as that means only Raul and Ronaldo ahead of him.

[zonker84]

Robinho signed.

I also do not see Real Madrid resting all of their top strikers for the league games, that's just a ridiculous statement

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Well did you follow last season?

It was meant in the games before a European fixture. I remember seeing a stat of Owens and of the games he had started a large percentage were from games a few days before the European fixtures.

I don't find it ridiculous - it is well known star players are rested or giving limited minutes before these kind of games.

[zonker84]

Originally Posted by Kiko

If so then Owen isn't really in such a bad position. You have Raul, Ronaldo and Baptista to contend with. All of which will be used for Champions League football leaving Owen to play in the La Liga games they are rested.

2004-05 Season in La Liga (38 games total)
Ronaldo 32 starts (+ 2 sub)
Raul 31 starts (+ 1 sub)
Owen 20 starts (+15 sub)


At times all 3 played together. You're giving the impression that Ronaldo and Raul were being rested an awful lot more than they were

[zonker84]

Originally Posted by Kiko

Well did you follow last season?

It was meant in the games before a European fixture. I remember seeing a stat of Owens and of the games he had started a large percentage were from games a few days before the European fixtures.

I don't find it ridiculous - it is well known star players are rested or giving limited minutes before these kind of games.

Real Madrid played 8 European Cup games last season. The Juventus ones were back to back with no league game inbetween, so in effect there were 7 league matches directly before a European match.

Ronaldo and Raul, out of a possible 7 starts, both started 6 (playing all of the match on most occasions). Ronaldo came on as sub in the other match.

So there you go, you're wrong

[all_funkt_up]

Robinho is contracted to play in brazil isnt he until September? Then after that he will need a break as he has played through the summer for Brazil and in South America.

Owen will be third choice and will have until September to prove himself. I for one would rather that than being first choice at Newcastle.....

Freddy Shepherd had to off load Bellamy, Robert and have a deal on the cards for Butt before he brought in Parker and Emre. Newcastle dont have the money to bring in Owen, unless they get £15million plus for Jenas. I think they are lining up a deal for Jenas on the offchance that one of the big 2 (man u & arsenal) dont nab him. But really, Shepherd knows he doesnt have much chance of Owen being in a black and white shirt next year. Remember last year when Shepherd was the first to place a bid for Rooney?

Newcastle had a waiting list of 15'000 for season tickets last year. This year because if the amount of non renewals, they have exhausted that waiting list and like for like sales are still down. Fans arent optomistic about the season to come and I think this whole scenario is just a ploy to sell more season tickets by Shepherd...

[Bigkegman]

I reckon Man Utd will be his home - Beckham will have tipped him off - and agrree with Neville and Kleb going it has freed up more funds.

[crowie]

First off I do think Newcastle have the money, if required for Owen. We are not talking about the £25m for Rooney that I took with a large pinch of salt last season. I doubt Owen will cost much more than £10m, £15m very tops which considering his record and his age still is a good deal for whoever gets him.

Its obvious that Souness was going to be shipping players out in the summer. I think Souness pursued his targets, Parker and Emre, knowing that there was going to be a number of players on their way sooner or later but I don't think he had to get players out the door first to be allowed to bring in players. Bellamy was still there when Parker was signed.

I think Newcastle are serious about going for Owen. To put in bluntly they are desperate for a striker and if they end up spending 2 weeks chasing someone that they have no intention of actually trying to sign, doing to to try and appease the fans, then they are in a world of trouble. Its obvious they cannot start with only Shearer as an attacking threat.

Man Utd, I don't know. The question obviously, if he signs, is "Who plays". Rooney definately and will it then be either RVN or Owen. I also noticed Fergie rattling on about Smith being the "natural successor" to Roy Keane, is that because he now knows Smith is not much cop as a striker. And then there is still good old Louis Saha. The Utd board, for all that Fergie has done there, must be thinking that he has chucked £60m+ at his 4 strikers and two of them are pish and one's went off the boil. How much more money will he get to cover up his mistakes up front.

I think its safe to say that Owen will not start many games at Real no matter his record from last season. I read that, after 9 years being there, Roberto Carlos has now rushed through his Spanish citizenship application. Cue the end of having 4 non EU players to only be allowed to fill 3 positions.

[crowie]

Robinho joins Real on 25th August and the Spanish league starts 28th.

[all_funkt_up]

Crowie - I dont think Owen will move to Newcastle. They will match his wages I am sure and he probably knows that. I think if he wanted to move to newcastle, he would have done so by now. Geordies use the examply of Shearer and say how owen could be as big a legend up these parts as Big Al. I think Alan Shearer is why Michael Owen should run a mile when Newcastle come a calling.

Shearer could have won the European Cup, the FA Cup and umpteen Premierships if he hadnt have joined the Toon. Surely an example of how not to do it.

[2damnhype]

Take your point about Shearer AFU, but on the other hand Shearer appears to have a massive influence at NUFC that he may not have been able to have at a 'bigger' club - this is another reason why i reckon Owen should approach with extreme caution - cos if Shearer don't like you then you are down the road.

[crowie]

AFU,

I also don't think Owen will end up at the Toon but I do think this is a genuine move for him, unlike last years "bid" for Rooney. Last year they had Bellamy, Shearer and Kluivert as options, this year its just Shearer. They have to do something.

I have no doubt Owen would view them as a last choice behind any of the English big 4 and probably even 5th choice at Real. But if no one else makes a move and he has limited chances at Real what does he do in a WC season?

I suppose he could sit it out until January window if there are no "acceptable" offers for him at present. Would probably benefit England in run up to the WC if he only played consistantly in 2nd half of the season.