SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON will plead with his board to sign
Michael Owen in January. The Newcastle striker has been rowing with
boss Sam Allardyce about whether he is fit to play two games for
England in four days after recent operations.
Manchester City manager Eriksson hopes to capitalise on the unrest
with a bid but Owens fee could be a whopping £15million plus
£110,000-a-week wages. That could be too much cash for former
England boss Eriksson, even though he has been told by owner
Thaksin Shinawatra there will be cash available in January.
Owen, 27, has failed to settle on Tyneside and the fans have never
truly taken to him. They feel he would have rather returned to
Liverpool or signed with another big English club when he joined
Toon for £16m from Real Madrid in 2005. But Newcastle were the only
ones prepared to take the gamble.
The perception in the North East is Owen loves his country more
than his club, having made just 17 starts for the Geordies. Owen
was also slow to pledge his commitment to Newcastle when it was
revealed he could leave last summer due to an £11m get-out clause
in his contract which has since expired. He was booed when he
came on in the 3-2 win over Everton last weekend and cocked an
ear towards the fans when he scored.
A move to City may not be his ideal choice but Manchester United
refused the chance to sign him in the summer. United are unlikely
to change their minds and the same goes for Liverpool. During his
time as England boss, Eriksson told a fake sheik in a newspaper
sting that Owen was not happy at Toon. But both men will forget the
matter if it suits their purposes.
If the hitman moves to City, Allardyce will raid former club Bolton
for Nicolas Anelka.
