Real chief wants Owen to stay

Real Madrid’s sporting director Arrigo Sacchi insists he wants Michael Owen to stay at the club despite mounting speculation over a return to the Premiership.

Owen admitted last week he had had brief dialogue with a number of top English clubs following Real’s double summer swoop for strikers Robinho and Julio Baptista.

But Sacchi intimated that the pair’s arrival did not mean Owen does not have a future at the Bernbeu, where he scored 16 goals in 26 starts last season.

Sacchi said: “I hope he stays here because he will have the respect of the whole club as he is a fantastic person. On Sunday I congratulated him on his professionalism. He did everything to perfection.”

Meanwhile Sacchi also gave hope to former Newcastle defender Jonathan Woodgate who is close to completing his recovery from the thigh strain which has sidelined him since his move to Spain a year ago.

Sacchi added: “He has been unlucky but now he has returned – he is one of the best defenders I have seen in my life. We have a lot of confidence in all the players that we have. For us, Woodgate is like our top signing for central defence this year.”