MICHAEL OWEN last night signed a two-year contract with Manchester United after completing a rigorous medical examination to dispel some of the concerns surrounding his injury problems.
Owen underwent a series of medical checks at a private hospital in Manchester yesterday afternoon before travelling to the club’s training ground in Carrington to finalise the deal which, as a free agent, will not cost United a transfer fee.
The lightning move by Alex Ferguson caught the football world by surprise, with the move done and dusted in three days.
“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 he wanted to sign me. I agreed without a moment’s thought,” said Owen.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it with both hands.”
United were able to confirm late yesterday evening that the England striker will be joining Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Luis Antonio Valencia in a new-look attack, and the club have pencilled in a press conference to unveil him either next Friday or the following Monday.
“I am now looking forward to being a 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,” the 29-year-old said.
His debut is likely to be the first game of United’s tour to southeast Asia, against a Malaysia XI on July 18th. His first appearance at Old Trafford will be on August 5th when Valencia come to Manchester for a friendly.
Ferguson welcomed the new arrival by saying: “Michael is a world-class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question. Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish.”
His contract at Old Trafford is based on bonuses for playing and scoring, but Owen has been happy to take a huge pay cut from his €128,000-a-week salary at Newcastle.
Owen’s arrival at United represents the latest act of “genius” on Ferguson’s part in the opinion of former Newcastle and England player Rob Lee.
Lee, who has watched many of Owen’s recent struggles in a Newcastle United shirt, is as well placed as anyone to assess a move which has astonished much of the football world. “It’s a piece of genius management,” he said. “Getting Michael for free on what I’m sure will essentially be a pay-as-you-play basis is very, very good business. It’s no gamble.”
Even so, Manchester United fans are largely underwhelmed at the prospect of Owen replacing Cristiano Ronaldo. “Of course Michael can’t do what Ronaldo does,” Lee added. “Ronaldo is the best in the world and as close as anyone to being indispensable, but in one-on-one situations, Michael is a better finisher.
“Sir Alex has lost the player who got the bulk of United’s goals, many of them great goals, but he is replacing him with someone capable of scoring once every two games.”
Peter Taylor, who coached Owen during his days as a member of Glenn Hoddle’s England staff, does not demur.
“United create so many chances it wouldn’t surprise me if Michael is the Premier League’s top scorer next year. And I’m sure he’ll be on the plane to South Africa next summer. Sir Alex has been very clever.”
Guardian Service
Soccer: page 2
