Magpies swoop for Owen

MICHAEL OWEN will make his Premiership return with struggling Newcastle after the club pulled off their biggest transfer coup since landing Alan Shearer.

Nine years after they invested a world record £15m (€22m) to bring Shearer to Tyneside from Blackburn, the Magpies beat that figure to clinch a shock deal to land Real Madrid forward Owen from under the noses of his former club Liverpool.

The 25-year-old passed a medical yesterday afternoon and Newcastle called a press conference to unveil him at noon today.

St James’ Park will also be opened for fans to welcome Owen at 1pm.

The reaction in Newcastle was a mix of stunned surprise and delight, and the expectation of a glut of goals after a barren start to the season.

On Merseyside there was disappointment as Newcastle’s bold tactics and financial clout proved decisive.

Twelve months after missing out on Wayne Rooney to Manchester United and a year to the day since chairman Freddy Shepherd sacked manager Bobby Robson, Newcastle boss Graeme Souness was given the news for which he has yearned for weeks as Owen agreed a four-year deal.

“Bringing Michael to St James’ Park will rank alongside the signing of Alan Shearer as my proudest moment at Newcastle United,” Shepherd told the club’s official website.

“Newcastle fans love centre-forwards and Michael is a fantastic goal-scorer. He’s someone we would love to build the team around and we hope he can help us bring success to the club.”

Newcastle’s breakthrough came after lengthy talks on Monday, which followed a meeting between Owen and the Liverpool hierarchy.

There were suggestions that Owen would speak to his former club once again, but Newcastle was confirmed this morning as his destination.

Souness, who had earlier jetted out to Malaga with those members of his squad not on international duty for a training camp, said:

“He’s the current England number nine and this club has had a history of wonderful centre-forwards over the years.

“He’s someone who can become a legend with Newcastle United fans. In football, the hardest thing to get in your team is someone who puts the ball in the back of the net, and Michael is the best at doing that for England.

“I can understand people who liken it to the signing of Alan Shearer as Michael is the current England number nine.

“I’d say it’s the biggest transfer I’ve been involved in as a manager of any football club.”

Souness’ odds on becoming the first Premiership manager to lose his job this season immediately lengthened to 7/4 from 5/4 with Ladbrokes, while Owen was installed as a 21/1 shot to top the Premiership scoring chart.

Just what persuaded Owen to opt for Newcastle - who are without a goal after four matches this season - remains to be seen.

But the chance of regular first-team football in a World Cup season for a side in which he will be a superstar will have been attractive.

He will have been offered a lucrative package, but the knowledge that he would have been left to play a bit-part role in Madrid had he stayed and would perhaps not have been the central figure in Rafael Benitez’s plans may have proved more persuasive.

It is understood the Reds were hopeful of securing Owen on loan for a season with a view to an £8m permanent deal next summer.

But when Real dismissed the chance of a temporary transfer, Newcastle made a bid they were confident Liverpool club could not match.

Owen scored 13 goals in 20 league starts for the Spanish giants, and the reaction from the Bernabeu was one of disappointment, although their profit is handsome.

“We are upset because we’ve lost a great professional, a top-class player who was always very positive, sporting director Arrigo Sacchi said.

“Real Madrid were happy with him and we would like to thank him for everything he has done here and wish him the very best in the future.

“He asked us if he could leave because it is a World Cup year and he wasn’t going to play here regularly. We didn’t want to loan him out and it was only when a big offer was made that we accepted the idea of selling him.”

Defender Ivan Helguera added: “He was a great team-mate, a very good person and an excellent player.

“It’s a shame that he’s gone because we thought a lot of him. He did a lot for Real Madrid despite the fact that he was given few minutes on the pitch and last season he made a big difference to the team.”

Owen was excused England training as his move approached its conclusion.

He is expected to join Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad after his unveiling, although he is suspended for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Wales.

He should make his Newcastle debut at home to Fulham on September 10, and is guaranteed a fanatical welcome from fans who have seen him torment their side with 14 goals in 11 appearances.