Everton preparing to offer Michael Owen a contract this summer
May 9 2009 The Journal
Once Jo and Anichebe are out of the equation, Moyes is left with Yakubu - recovering from the knee problem which ended his season in November - the injury-prone pair of Louis Saha and James Vaughan, and a handful of youngsters.
He would prefer a striker of greater physical stature to complement them but sees the chance to sign one of England’s most prolific goalscorers on a free transfer as too good to turn down.
He is not, though, expected to bid for another boyhood Evertonian, Joey Barton, something Bolton Wanderers boss Gary Megson refused to rule out yesterday.
Everton can offer Owen the two things he perhaps wants the most – European football and the chance to move back to the north west. The lure of continental competition brought him to Newcastle from Real Madrid four years ago when his preferred club, Liverpool, failed to bid for his services.
Owen would have to accept a pay cut to return to Merseyside, but that will be the case wherever he goes. If Everton do not offer too much less than the Magpies, United’s captain is sure to give them careful consideration at the end of the season.
Probably the ideal scenario for the centre-forward is for Manchester City to tie up seventh place, thereby also qualifying for next season’s Europa League, then follow it with a wage offer greater than Everton or Newcastle are prepared to make.
There are more than a few “ifs” in that equation, including whether Mark Hughes will want a player with similar physical attributes to Craig Bellamy – and whether his paymasters will view Owen as sufficiently high-profile.
The striker’s stock has fallen this season, when England manager Fabio Capello has refused to select him in any squads. It reached a low point on Sunday when Owen suffered the indignity of returning to Anfield for a crucial league match as a substitute.
United’s captain has too much respect for Shearer to let his public snub dissuade him from committing to Newcastle once more - and is expected to be back in the starting line-up for Monday’s even more important match.
Few Newcastle fans would mourn Owen’s departure after receiving just 57 league starts and 13 goals in all competitions for a £16m investment.
