SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON will plead with his board to sign Michael Owen in January. The Newcastle striker has been rowing with boss Sam Allardyce about whether he is fit to play two games for England in four days after recent operations.Manchester City manager Eriksson hopes to capitalise on the unrest with a bid but Owen’s fee could be a whopping £15million plus £110,000-a-week wages. That could be too much cash for former England boss Eriksson, even though he has been told by owner Thaksin Shinawatra there will be cash available in January.
Owen, 27, has failed to settle on Tyneside and the fans have never truly taken to him. They feel he would have rather returned to Liverpool or signed with another big English club when he joined Toon for £16m from Real Madrid in 2005. But Newcastle were the only ones prepared to take the gamble.
The perception in the North East is Owen loves his country more than his club, having made just 17 starts for the Geordies. Owen was also slow to pledge his commitment to Newcastle when it was revealed he could leave last summer due to an £11m get-out clause in his contract — which has since expired. He was booed when he came on in the 3-2 win over Everton last weekend — and cocked an ear towards the fans when he scored.
A move to City may not be his ideal choice but Manchester United refused the chance to sign him in the summer. United are unlikely to change their minds — and the same goes for Liverpool. During his time as England boss, Eriksson told a fake sheik in a newspaper sting that Owen was not happy at Toon. But both men will forget the matter if it suits their purposes.
If the hitman moves to City, Allardyce will raid former club Bolton for Nicolas Anelka.
