Owen set for United move
Michael Owen is expected at Manchester
United for a medical examination this morning ahead of an
extraordinary move out of the wilderness to join the Premier League
champions. Owen, a player dumped by the England manager, Fabio
Capello, and widely written off as an individual lacking the
appetite and physical fitness to make it in the top flight, is
expected to have signed by the end of today, provided he passes a
medical which is likely to be stringent, given his injury record.
For the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, it would be the
fulfilment of an old ambition, as he admired Owen when the striker
was a youngster in Liverpool's youth set-up. "We wanted to sign
him," Ferguson once said. "But we weren't prepared to meet his
father's requirements so he signed for Liverpool." It is unclear
how much Owen will earn but it seems likely his salary at United
will be highly incentivised, with Ferguson presumably harbouring
concerns that after four years of persistent injury during his
spell with Newcastle United at St James' Park he may lack the
physical durability to play a role at Old Trafford. A one-year
rolling deal seems possible. For Owen, the incentives also include
proving to Capello that he warrants a World Cup place at next
summer's finals in South Africa.
Ian Herbert, The Independent
The tabloids all expect Owen's move to Old Trafford to go
through on Friday, and The Daily Mirror claims the Reds
will also lodge a £16million bid for Sevilla's Brazilian
international striker, Luis Fabiano, although
there may be competition from AC Milan.
Cristiano Ronaldo may have left Old Trafford,
but he is in no doubt over which team will win the Premier League
again next season. "For me, United will still win the Premier
League next year, and I hope for a long time to come."