"I’m still a Newcastle player, but I think it will only be for a matter of weeks. There are plenty of clubs who would interest me, but we will see where that is, whether that’s home or abroad.

"There has been a lot of interest from abroad, and quite a bit from at home as well."

Owen admits to being "upset" at leaving Newcastle languishing in the second tier, but feels that recent criticism of his form and appetite for success has been unfair and unjustified.

Struggling to recreate his best form and fitness in a terrible team during the second half of last season, the striker was dropped by both Chris Hughton and Shearer during the relegation run-in.

But it has not soured his appetite for the game or left him bitter at his Tyneside experience.

"I have had four enjoyable years and I’m very sorry, obviously, to leave them when they are going to be in Championship," Owen (right) said.

"I suppose I have got skin thicker than 99.9% of the population, so I have got used to it. I don’t know why I should get used to it, but I suppose I have. People write you off – but when I scored a goal in the World Cup as an 18-year-old, people six months later were writing me off saying, ’It’s a one-off’.

"Then you score a hat-trick against Germany in Munich and win five trophies in a year with Liverpool and a year later, they will write you off.

"I will come back, I will play well and score goals and do all these things once more."

Newcastle will open their pre-season campaign in Ireland with a friendly against Shamrock Rovers. The Magpies will play the League of Ireland Premier Division side at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, July 11 (kick-off 3pm) after a short training camp.