Newcastle chief plans talks with star striker

Apr 10 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

CHRIS Mort is hoping Newcastle United’s recent revival will persuade Michael Owen to commit his long-term future to the club this summer.

The 28-year-old’s contract expires in the summer of 2009, raising the spectre of the club’s record signing leaving on a free transfer.

No talks have taken place between the Magpies and their captain but Mort plans to put that right soon and hopes the club’s form will convince the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker to do what he has seemed reluctant to in the past and put pen to paper on a new deal.

United are unbeaten in their previous four games, winning the last three. Owen has scored in all

four, making him the first Magpies striker to do so since Alan Shearer in 2003-04.

“I think all the players are enjoying playing under Kevin (Keegan),” commented Mort. “You can see that in the way they play. I would imagine Michael was in that camp as well.

“He seems to be enjoying his game. He has got his contract this year and next year but it obviously makes sense to sit down with Michael and secure him for the long term if we can. I know Kevin is very fond of Michael so I would hope we could sit down and do something.”

This has been the most prolific and injury-free season of Owen’s time on Tyneside. He has scored 13 goals this season (three for England) and has recently flourished in a new role behind strike partners Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka.

Although he has always maintained a diplomatic silence in public, the suspicion has long remained that Owen would rather be plying his trade elsewhere.

Rumours of his impending departure started the day he signed for Newcastle, with speculation of various buy-out clauses in his contract. Having played for two of the most famous clubs in world football, Owen’s primary concern has always been the ambition of the clubs he has played for. He is yet to represent Newcastle in European competition and his primary consideration before re-signing will surely be whether the club can put that right in the near future.

Meanwhile, Keegan has admitted he doubted whether one of Owen’s predecessors as Newcastle skipper, Geremi, had what it took to be a Newcastle regular but now he will be reluctant to start a game without him. Geremi began the season as captain but had lost the armband – along with his place – by Christmas. Now, though, he is not only a key member of the United side but also something of a lucky omen.

Geremi and his midfield partner Nicky Butt are the only two members of the squad to have started all 10 league games Newcastle have won this season. The 29-year-old was on African Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon when Keegan took charge of Newcastle, and the manager concedes when the pair belatedly worked together, he was concerned about the versatile midfielder’s morale.

“Geremi’s always got a smile on his face,” he said. “He’s fantastic around the club. But the feeling I got was he’d had a tough time. When I first came into the club, I wondered if he might not have been able to hold down a place. But from the moment he came back from the African Cup of Nations and trained with us I thought, ‘Wow’. Players respect him. He’s a clever player and he doesn’t give the ball way. He’s one of my leaders around the place.”