http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=658825&sec=transfers&cc=4716
Michael
Owen has been confirmed as a Manchester United player. The
striker has signed a two-year deal to play at Old Trafford and no
transfer was paid as the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and
Newcastle forward was a free agent.
Empics
Michael Owen: A free agent who joins on a deal believed
to be incentivised
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson happily confirmed the deal
saying, "Michael is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring
record at the highest level and that has never been in question.
Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is
something that Michael will relish"
Owen himself was similarly happy, and said: "I had just begun to
talk to other Clubs when out of the blue Sir Alex phoned me on
Wednesday afternoon, invited me to have breakfast with him next
morning during which he told me that he wanted to sign me. I agreed
without a moment's thought.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it
with both hands.
"I am now looking forward to being a Manchester United player
and I am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here.
I missed pre season last year and am pleased that I will be
starting at Carrington from day one.
"I want to thank Sir Alex for the faith he has shown in me and I
give him my assurance that I will repay him with my goals and
performances"
The striker spent Friday morning at United's training complex,
Carrington, before heading to a south Manchester hospital for more
tests.
Owen left the hospital just after five o'clock and was
understood to be returning to United's Carrington training ground
to complete the formalities of the move.
The England international had been without a club following the
expiry of his contract with Newcastle United and it appeared only
Stoke City and Hull City were interested in offering him a
contract.
But Sir Alex Ferguson has snapped up a player who is fourth in
the all-time goalscorers list for his country.
Newspaper reports suggest the contract will be purely incentive
based, depending on minutes played and goals scored. Sir Alex tried
to sign the player - a boyhood Everton fan - as a teenager but
instead he opted, on the advice of his father, to pen a contract
with Liverpool where he scored 118 goals in 216 games.
United have been searching for a new forward since the departure
of Carlos Tevez at the end of his loan deal. They had been linked
with the likes of Karim
Benzema and David
Villa, but now it seems Owen will be arriving to pep up their
striking options.
The 29-year-old suffered an injury-ravaged time at St James'
Park but still managed to score 10 goals as the Magpies dropped out
of the Premier League.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker will be hoping a
move to Old Trafford will push him back into the thoughts of
England coach Fabio Capello ahead of next summer's World Cup
finals.
In Manchester and among fans, the reaction has been mixed; Red
Devils' messageboards have been lighting up with negative
comments.
"Not happy. From what I've seen he is nowhere near as good as he
was," was one; while another discontented fan lamented: "Owen hasnt
been the same for years!"
