Owen: Completes free transfer to United
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Owen finalises shock United move
Michael Owen has sealed his shock move to Manchester United, signing a two-year contract to keep him at Old Trafford until June 2012.
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The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and England striker completed a series of stringent medical tests on Friday evening with the Premier League champions.
Owen, 29, had earlier spent the day at United's Carrington training complex as the terms of his free transfer were thrashed out, after he lapsed out of contract with Newcastle at the end of last month.
Owen's poor injury record over recent years which blighted his spell at St James' Park was thought to be a major factor in the unwillingness of most of England's top clubs to consider taking him on a free transfer.
With the likes of Hull and Stoke publicly declaring their interest in the former Liverpool and Real Madrid player it seemed Owen was destined to have to accept a substantial drop in both wages and the standard of football which he craved.
In fact, his advisors he had just begun negotiations with a number of interested parties before a surprise phone call from Ferguson changed the outlook on everything.
"I had just begun to talk to other clubs when out of the blue Sir Alex phoned me on Wednesday afternoon, invited me to have breakfast with him next morning during which he told me that he wanted to sign me," said Owen.
"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 now looking forward to being a Manchester United player and I am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here.
"I missed pre-season last year and am pleased that I will be starting at Carrington from day one.
"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."
He added to MUTV: "It feels great. 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've had a poor spell up 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 added that his fitness problems of recent seasons should not be a concern for United's fans.
"I'd like to think that everyone was quite surprised with my medical," he said.
"I passed my medical 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 has been a long-time admirer of Owen and his signing does not represent as much of a gamble as some have made out.
The fact Owen was a free agent, and that he is believed to have agreed a basic salary with pay-as-you play bonuses, means the Old Trafford boss has nothing to lose.
And Ferguson, who lost out to Real Madrid in the race to sign Lyon striker Karim Benzema, can see through the injury woes which have robbed Owen of what should have been the prime years of his career.
He believes there is still plenty to come from a player who scored 158 goals in 297 matches for Liverpool and struck 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," said the United boss.
"Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish."
Owen will hope moving to United, with the promise of Champions League football again, will help his bid to force his way back into Fabio Capello's England squad.
That is particularly important with a World Cup - likely to be Owen's last major tournament - looming next summer.
He no doubt thinks he will be helped by regularly playing alongside Capello's first-choice forward Wayne Rooney at United.
If he remains injury-free he should still be able to score goals considering the amount of creativity United have on the field - one factor he desperately lacked during his disappointing spell at Newcastle.
Owen may not replace the sheer number of goals of Cristiano Ronaldo, whom Ferguson sold to Madrid for a world-record £80million, or the work-rate of Carlos Tevez, who appears on the verge of a move to Manchester City after his lease agreement ran out at Old Trafford, but he has the knack of scoring at important times.
It is that pedigree which Ferguson hopes will shine through next season.
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Your Comments
singapore_red7
"the mark of a good manager is his ability to change around his team formations, style of play and tactics to bring out the best in different types of players. never did fergie say AV or MO were direct replacements for CR and CT. doomsday prophets said the same thing when Teddy Sherry signed for us and looked what happened. Ole was a virtual unknown until he made it big at OT. that's the reason fergie is the manager with the best winning record in the UK."
conor5796 (Liverpool fan)
"Feel abit dissapointed but something in me really hopes he will prove all his critics wrong"
ToonRMe (Newcastle United fan)
"Michael Owens nothing more than a money grabbing sicknote, and has got to be the biggest footballing mercenary the games ever seen. I dont think he'll play more than three games in a row at MU? but if fergie can keep him fit? I've got a feeling he'll do quite well, as a squad player. But only time will tell! Im just pleased to see the back of him at the toon 41 million its cost Newcastle for only 30 goals and about 65 appearences in 4yrs that works out at round about 1.4 million per goal what a disgrace he is enough said. He's just a selfish greedy ££££ grabber and when the going gets tough Owen gets going he's a disgrace."
wenster (Manchester United fan)
"Well as much as I was a big Tevez supporter, I just feel that no one should say they deserve to play every game. Ole was a big player for us coming from the bench and he never complained. Just did his role and led us to glory. With the big 4 playing so many games in one season, I think all these "world class" players should just let the manager manage. Cause end of the day, he knows best. "
Joolsi (Liverpool fan)
"I am sad about this. Now the two teams are level on primership victories. If Owen wins the primership with Man Utd and they go over Liverpool. Well Mr. Owen hope you will enjoy that and that will be close to your heart. You will never be welcome to my house and i hope that all Liverpool supporters will not Welcome him to our House Anfield. JUDAS"
ataryam
"when becks was sold he was replaced by a 12m ronaldo and in his first season he was nothing more than a box of tricks. give SAF some credit valencia might be groomed to be one of the best though i doubt it but maybe nani can become better. owen could be as good as tevez off the bench but if he isnt then he didnt lose much. united dont need people upfront they need a strong playmaker in the middle to replace scholes cause anderson isnt good enuf. they need someone like xavi or fabregas. that is where the bulk of the 80m should go!"
kaminero (Newcastle United fan)
"dutchman
"i say i rather have owen then moneygrubbing baby Tevez."
yeah, and owen is not a moneygrabber, in fact he didn't want to take the money of us because he was injured all of the time, pfew...i never saw a bigger moneygrabber than owen..!
"...and Tevez is such a 2-face. if he really loved man utd he A) wouldnt have joined city..."
yeah, like that is worth anything anymore..!? there are no more players like alan shearer..! (ok martins is a great and loyal lad, but that's very very rear now.) look at your situation with ronaldo, then the "original" ronaldo, who played for both barca and real, and inter and milan too..! inter payed his wages and sent him to the best specialist and surgeons and, after he came back from a career threatening injury (was injured for a year or so), he went to real madrid straight away..! then look at owen, big liverpool fan (in his words) and signs for you...
tevez was on loan, you didn't want to sign him and didn't want to play him regularly so what do you want..???
he's a young player who needs regular playing time...he didn't betray anyone, he was not born in manchester or been a lifelong man u fan, so let the lad go and admit your real frustration is ronaldo gone, not tevez... "
ManUnited4ever (Manchester United fan)
"For all those sutpid tw@ts suggesting United is in desperation, wake up muppets SAF knows exactly what he is doing. Who is the most sucessful team here my muppet friends?? The transfer has just begun and we have already sign two players, who is suggesting this is the end? And who is stupidly enough to suggest these are the direct replacements for CR7 and Ugly face?? Never slating United or is it the only time you could do that?? Be happy for the short period of time then, Ignorant "footall fan"!!"
united2020 (Manchester United fan)
"zendenling did you start watching football in 2006?"
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