by Ian Rush's Right foot » Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:11 am
This was this morning
Owen set for loan move to Toon
Newcastle United, Wednesday August 24 2005
Michael Owen wants to go back to old club Liverpool or move to Newcastle on loan to give him the best possible preparation for the World Cup next summer.
The England striker, 25, has the blessing of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has promised to help him to try to seal the move back to Anfield.
Failing that, the player is prepared to accept a one-year loan deal with Newcastle, with his first-team chances at the Bernabeu further limited by the summer signings of Robinho and Julio Baptista.
Owen said: "I met the Real Madrid president before Tuesday night's friendly at the Bernabeu and we discussed my future.
"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.
"I am most grateful to Senor Perez for his personal concern about my career. I have really enjoyed being part of his Real Madrid team."
Owen scored 158 goals in 297 games for the Reds, before leaving the club for Madrid last summer.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists his main priority is to sign a centre-back and already has Djibril Cisse, Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch as his frontline strikers.
"I want other players first, I am happy with my five strikers even now Milan Baros has gone," the Spaniard said after his side's 3-2 aggregate win over CSKA Sofia in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The move would be a popular one among the club's supporters, who idolised Owen during his time at the club.
He scored 16 goals for Real last season despite being used primarily as a substitute behind Raul and Ronaldo, and with Robinho and Julio Baptista now on board his prospects of first-team football diminished further.
Newcastle are desperate to recruit a striker and have struggled through the first two games of the Premiership season with Alan Shearer on his own up front.
Owen revealed earlier this month he had held "brief dialogue with three or four Premiership clubs", and on August 8 the Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd admitted contacting Real Madrid with a view to a move.
Later that day Real spokesman Antonio Garcia Ferreras claimed Manchester United had also expressed an interest, a claim subsequently denied by the Red Devils.
On Tuesday Everton manager David Moyes revealed his club had spoken to Owen's representatives, but the player rejected a move to Goodison Park.
Even if Owen is to return to Anfield, Benitez does not expect to conclude any transfer business until after Friday's European Super Cup in Monaco.
Although Bolton have denied that Liverpool have put in a formal bid for Greek midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos, it is believed the Anfield club have made an initial approach for the player that could cost them only £1million.
The Euro 2004 winner has a buy-out clause in his contract that will allow him to consider any bid of £1million or more, and he could become the first of maybe four signings Benitez plans before the transfer window closes next Wednesday.
After witnessing his misfiring strikers struggle against CSKA Sofia, losing 1-0 in the third qualifying round second leg but reaching the group stages 3-2 on aggregate, Benitez said: "We have identified the players that we want, but I do not expect to complete any transfer until after we have returned from Monaco and Friday's final with CSKA Moscow."
....I'm the bee's knee, his legs and his arms.....