[caveman_nige]

Manchester United have refused to be drawn on growing speculation they are about to sign striker Michael Owen.
The 29-year-old, who is out of contract, did not return for pre-season training with Newcastle after his deal with the Magpies ran out in June.
On Thursday bookmakers began to slash their odds on the chances of Owen, who has been linked with Everton, Aston Villa, Stoke and Hull, joining United.
"We don't comment on transfer rumours," a Red Devils spokesman told BBC Sport.
Any deal for Owen would be subject to the striker passing a stringent medical, which could take place as early as Friday, given his frequent injury problems over the last few years.

The former Liverpool forward scored 10 goals in all competitions last season, although an ankle injury and groin operation severely disrupted his season.
His last league goal was on 10 January against West Ham.
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 Frazier Campbell also likely to be sold.
However, Ferguson did bring in winger Antonio Valencia from Wigan on Tuesday.
United were also reportedly keen on 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.
If Ferguson does capture Owen it would be reminiscent of his willingness to take a chance on players with either difficult reputations, such as Eric Cantona, or players that have suffered serious injury problems like Henrik Larsson.
Even so, the move for Owen represents something of a gamble for Ferguson, given Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce ruled out a move for the striker earlier this week given his injury history.
"I just question the injury scenario," said Allardyce.
"I need a striker that's going to be available for 30 games next season. That's not happened for Michael over the last four years."
After Newcastle were relegated to the Championship, Owen expressed his desire to remain in the Premier League.
The Wasserman Media Group (WMG), the management company that represents him, sent out a brochure to a number of clubs reminding them of the talent that resulted in the striker scoring 158 goals in about 300 games for Liverpool and 40 goals in 89 appearances for England.

No-one was available for comment at the WMG.
Owen was widely reported to be earning more than £100,000-a-week at Newcastle after signing a four-year deal when he moved from Real Madrid in August 2005 for a club record fee of £16m, though his wages are unlikely to be a problem for the Old Trafford club.
However, his time on Tyneside was plagued by injury problems, as he suffered a broken metatarsal bone, knee ligament damage sustained at the 2006 World Cup, as well as a double hernia operation and a thigh problem.
The forward has made 79 appearances for the Magpies and scored 30 goals in four seasons.
If Owen does move to Old Trafford it would revive the former Liverpool striker's hopes of resurrecting his international hopes and taking part in the 2010 World Cup.
Owen has been marginalised by England manager Fabio Capello and has won just one cap under the Italian, as a substitute in the 1-0 friendly defeat by France in Paris on 26 March, 2008.


Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...td/8131801.stm

[opsmonkey]

This has to be a joke KV.. Owen is a shaddow of his former self..

I'd love for him to go to Utd.. We have Torres and they have a past it striker.. a ha ha

[alker ranger]

I think owen would do well at utd at 29 i dont think he's past it, i think it would have to be on a pay as you play basis though.

[lfc4life]

hmmmmmmm....... owen still has it! But getting injured more! and will be demanding big bucks

[aftermath]

Last time no strikers available so we PANIC and buy that useless piece of sh1t Berbatov.

Now no strikers available and we get an ex Liverpool , injury prone Donkey.

C`mon fergie get your act together.

we need someone to replace Ronaldo who can score aprox 25 goals, not some usless ***** who only plays about 12 games a season..

Thats my rant over.... sick as fook TBH

[opsmonkey]

Originally Posted by lfc4life hmmmmmmm....... owen still has it!

on what evidence..?? He couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo at Newcastle or Real Madrid.. The last decent season he had was 2002/03 when he baged 28 goals.. Last season in 31 games he scored 10 goals.. hardly a top flight striker for a top flight club..

He would have been a good signing for Hull / Wigan / Bolton but not Man Utd..

I bet the Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal defences are shitting themselves

[lfc4life]

Originally Posted by opsmonkey on what evidence..?? He couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo at Newcastle or Real Madrid.. The last decent season he had was 2002/03 when he baged 28 goals.. Last season in 31 games he scored 10 goals.. hardly a top flight striker for a top flight club.. He would have been a good signing for Hull / Wigan / Bolton but not Man Utd.. I bet the Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal defences are shitting themselves

his career record

[opsmonkey]

maybe they should sign Pele then.. he has a good career record

[lfc4life]

Originally Posted by opsmonkey maybe they should sign Pele then.. he has a good career record

you got his number?

[opsmonkey]

no but you can get it from here:

www.oldcheaplayers.com

This isnt football manager, its real life.. Owen is past it

[ste6106]

Wouldnt suit our (bolton's) style of looong ball, the only reason Fergie has signed him is cos of the Gee Gees, he will spend his time when injured as a stable boy!

[lfc4life]

Originally Posted by ste6106 Wouldnt suit our (bolton's) style of looong ball, the only reason Fergie has signed him is cos of the Gee Gees, he will spend his time when injured as a stable boy!

like that

[ted17]

i think owen is only making this move so he can get back in the england set up, as a liverpool fan i see him for the disgusting traitor he is

[opsmonkey]

its always been about England for Owen.. He's not a scouser, he went to school in North Wales.. So what he's signed for Utd.. Its obvious he's a money grabber, he wasnt going to leave Liverpool and the he pitches up on Madrid's bench.. Then he went to Newcastle for some treatment and now he's ending his days on Utd bench..

[caveman_nige]

I think any player of some repute would want to try and remain in the top flight and of course he wants an England spot. He would be a pretty unambitious player if he did not want that, who wouldn't want to play premiership football and have a chance of playing for England... Answer: 99% of the English players in the league...

You can hardly call him a money grabber, its the nature of the game now to throw money at players so they expect it thesedays..