Michael Owen admitted last night he didn't have to think twice about joining Manchester United when he received a surprise phone call from the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Michael Owen admitted last night he didn't have to think twice about joining Manchester United when he received a surprise phone call from the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker, plagued by injury in recent years, had looked destined to join a club of the stature of Hull or Stoke - both of whom had publicly declared an interest in the 29-year-old - following the expiry of his contract at Newcastle United at the end of last month.
It seemed the top clubs were not prepared to take a risk on a player who had spent so much time on the sidelines, leaving Owen faced with taking a substantial drop in wages as well as having to turn out for a less illustrious team. His advisors had just started negotiations with a number of interested parties when the intervention of Ferguson changed things.
"I had just begun to talk to other clubs when, out of the blue, Sir Alex phoned me on Wednesday afternoon and invited me to have breakfast with him the next morning, during which he told me that he wanted to sign me," Owen said. "I agreed without a moment's thought. This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it with both hands.
"I am looking forward to being a Manchester United player and am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here. When I got the call from the manager to come round and meet him it was a shock, but I'm obviously really happy.
"I want to thank Sir Alex for the faith he has shown in me and I give him my assurance that I will repay him with my goals and performances. I had a poor spell at Newcastle but prior to that my career was very good and I'm sure a top club like this can re-ignite my career."
Owen claimed the fitness problems he has experienced in recent seasons should not be a concern for United fans. He said: "I'd like to think that everyone was quite surprised with my medical. I passed it and I've obviously passed them before, and my fitness is high. A lot is made out of it but I certainly don't feel like I'm injury prone."
Ferguson, who lost out to Madrid on Karim Benzema, has been a long-time admirer of Owen and must have felt he had nothing to lose in signing a player who commanded no transfer fee and who was prepared to accept a contract that involved only a basic salary topped up with pay-as-you play bonuses.
The Scot believes there is plenty still to come from a player who scored 158 goals in 297 matches for Liverpool and netted 40 times in 89 England internationals.
"Michael is a world-class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question," Ferguson said. "Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something Michael will relish."
Owen will hope the move to United will help him to force his way back into Fabio Capello's England plans particularly as next year's World Cup is the last major tournament he could reasonably hope to be involved in.
The chance to play regularly alongside Wayne Rooney, Capello's first-choice striker, must be a considerable bonus for Owen and he will hope the creative talents United boast will mean a return to scoring goals in numbers that could catch the coach's eye, after sorely lacking that kind of support at St James' Park.
