Owen on way to Newcastle?

[CHAPPERS]

The Guardian report.....



Newcastle have agreed a club record transfer fee with Real Madrid for England striker Michael Owen.

The club's current record fee stands at the £15m paid for Alan Shearer in 1996, meaning the Spaniards could negotiate a tidy profit on the £10m they paid Liverpool for Owen last summer.

"Newcastle United have met Real Madrid's asking price and conditions," read a Newcastle statement. "The agreed fee will be a record transfer fee for Newcastle United. It is now up to the player and his advisor."



Real Madrid director of communications Antonio Garcia Ferreras confirmed his club had agreed a fee with Newcastle for Owen and also reported there was still no offer from Liverpool for their former player.
"This morning Real Madrid and Newcastle United have reached the principles of an agreement on the conditions of Michael Owen's transfer to the English club," he said. "There is still no agreement between Michael Owen and Newcastle. At the moment we have not received any offer from Liverpool."

Owen had already signalled that if a return to Liverpool, his preferred option, failed to materialise, he was only willing to spend a season on loan at St James' Park.

He said: "I said that my ideal situation was to start the season in the Real Madrid team and if not I would prefer to return to Liverpool. The president understood and said he would try to help me achieve this.

"If the transfer cannot be finalised in time I have agreed to go to Newcastle United but only on a one-year loan. I need to be playing regularly in World Cup year."



This could be a very good move for both Owen and Newcastle. Palying up front with Shearer again with bring loads of goals for Micky this season which can only be good for England. His sharpness will return and hopefully he can carry some good form into the World Cup.

Newcastle could quite easily make the 4th Champions League place if Souness can get his midfield firing.

 

[Croydonbloke]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/default.stm

 

[aftershavedave]

Newcastle could quite easily make the 4th Champions League place if Souness can get his midfield firing.

souness and firing in the same sentence....yes i can see that.

 

[aftershavedave]

now says on the bbc that's they have agreed a fee......

 

[WATFORD O]

We are witnessing the death of a special footballing talent. Newcastle arent going anywhere. Owen will learn nothing there. Strikers like Owen need service. Where is that going to come from in the Newcastle team?

Its a truly sad day for England

 

[JJ McClure]

Newcastle have some good players Given, Boumsong, Parker, Jenas, Emre, Milner, Shearer and the possibility of Owen. Quite funny that they are still f***ing shit.

 

[SK1NT]

owen already lost it!newcastle will be good for him, me thinks

 

[WATFORD O]

owen already lost it!newcastle will be good for him, me thinks

Not true. Owen is class. Scores 16 coming off the bench last season and has the best goals to minutes ratio in the world for top clubs last year.

 

[CHAPPERS]

We are witnessing the death of a special footballing talent. Newcastle arent going anywhere. Owen will learn nothing there. Strikers like Owen need service. Where is that going to come from in the Newcastle team?

Its a truly sad day for England

Playing up with Shearer will be good for him and as much as I don't want to admit it, Dyer and Milner are both looking pretty good this season.

I do hate Souness though.

 

[e77]

If I was a Newcastle fan I wouldn't be chuffed at only having him because Liverpool didn't.

 

[jolson]

I thought that when Souness, who single handedly led Blackburn into the bottom 6 teams of the Premiership all season, suddenly is appointed manager of Newcastle. Don't get that one. And shock, he isn't performing. I won't even touch on his much-revered man-management skills

 

[Marshy]

He wont go to Newcastle. They have agreed a fee thats all.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

He'd be insane to go there

 

[Tricky Dicky]

He must be more than a little upset that L'pool didn't beat the door down at Real to sign him. It may be better for England that he plays for Newcastle, he'll be guaranteed to play every week unless injured and he won't get overly tired having to play champions league every week, though I'm sure he'd like to.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I've I was a Liverpool fan I'd be gutted.

Firstly, they lost Baros and paid £500K - to get Crouch. Then the Boy Wonder becomes available and Benitez isn't interested.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Not true. Owen is class. Scores 16 coming off the bench last season and has the best goals to minutes ratio in the world for top clubs last year.

Would not bother discussing Owen with brighton_boy. He has a leaning for the El Cids and would rather see Defoe in an England shirt than Owen, so will belittle Owen at any given opportunity.

Once a Spud always a Spud.

 

[Bluejuice]

It's a tough one this.

I don't really want to see him at Newcastle as I can't see it being that beneficial to him and they certainly don't deserve him, but he doesnt seem to have many options, bizarrely. And I do clamour to see him back in England.

I would have thought a season long loan was more likely though to be honest. Would he really wanna commit to the toon in their current state?

Bear in mind Shearer only managed about 7 goals last season.

If he comes in on loan and does the job then hopefully Liverpool or Arsenal will buck up their ideas and realise they need him.

 

[WATFORD O]

It's a tough one this.

I don't really want to see him at Newcastle as I can't see it being that beneficial to him and they certainly don't deserve him, but he doesnt seem to have many options, bizarrely. And I do clamour to see him back in England.

I would have thought a season long loan was more likely though to be honest. Would he really wanna commit to the toon in their current state?

Bear in mind Shearer only managed about 7 goals last season.

If he comes in on loan and does the job then hopefully Liverpool or Arsenal will buck up their ideas and realise they need him.

I went out last season to see Ral Madrid v Villareal. Owen got a fantastic reception from the fans.

If I was Owen I would stay put until January. By then failing / under achieving clubs everywhere will be desperate to sign a proven striker and he will have his pick. Also Real are a missfiring side. Who is to say that Ronaldo will stay fit? If Real get off to a bad start the fans will demand Owen is brought back into the side.

Stay in Spain Owen!

 

[Silent Bob]

I still think he's on his way to Liverpool.

If not a season long loan at Newcastle wouldn't be bad. He'll get regular first team football, and they do have the makings of a decent side.
A midfield of:
Dyer--Jenas--Parker--Emre
supplying Owen and Shearer doesn't look too bad.

And then at the end of the loan if they've done well he can go there, or see what other options are available to him. Maybe Real will even see sense and play him.

 

[Gritt23]

I just cannot believe that Liverpool do not want him back, it looks like the perfect deal all round.

It is clearly where Owen wants to go.
Liverpool could stump up the cash for Madrid, rather than the "loan" deal that Owen seems to be accepting if it's Newcastle.

but crucially LIVERPOOL NEED A STRIKER WHO WILL SCORE GOALS.

Morientes : flatters to deceive for me. Bit of a Patrick Kluivert in that he's made his name, and doesn't seem to think he needs to do anymore. He'll always find a club willing to pay him a fortune, and he won't ever quite hit the heights that he should.

Cisse : if he spent half the time on the training ground that he spends at the hairdressers, then he may become more than a fast headless chicken. I just don't see him getting enough goals.

Crouch : a better player than he is given credit for, but he is not good enough to be playing at that end of the table.

Baros is a loss, because he has shown more class in International football than the other 3 put together.

So what is Benitez doing passing up the chance to get Owen back? I can only think he is playing a waiting game, in the hope that Real Madrid accept a cut price offer at the last moment rather than seeing him go on a loan to Newcastle. But he better hurry up.