He Crosses the Great Divide, Via Madrid And Newcastle!

By: Wayne Farry | July 3rd, 2009

So it actually happened. It’s been rumoured for a few days, the odds yesterday dropped from 22/1 to evens and now it’s happened; Michael Owen has signed for Manchester United. In doing so he becomes only the fourth player since WW2 to play for both Liverpool and Man Utd in his career.

Undoubtedly and almost instantly making him a huge hate figure over at the red side of Liverpool. But who cares what they think? Apparently, before he got the call from Sir Alex Owen believed his only options were either Villa or Hull but once you get that call from Sir Alex, there’s only one choice really. It’s kinda like that call in Mission Impossible.

At first I was pessimistic about this. Like most I thought that he was past it, unable to play at the top level anymore. But I’ve had some time to think about it. I genuinely think it’s quite possibly a masterstroke. Obviously, only time will tell but this guy has a great scoring record for all of his clubs. In his season at Madrid he had the highest goals per minutes on pitch ratio in the league and though he only started fifty plus games for Newcastle, he scored over twenty goals in that time. That, for us could be a really important tally of goals. And that was for Newcastle, he will be playing for us next season with far more and far better chances at his disposal.

Apparently he has taken a pay cut compared to his previous contract at Toon and it’s also been touted that he’s on a pay-as-you-play deal. this shows a lot of spirit and ambition for a guy people said was past it.

Of course, some will say that Fergie is getting desperate and with €80M at his disposal he should aim higher, but for no transfer fee and on a two year deal this could be a match made in heaven.

Either way, regardless of what people say, I think Fergie has pulled another one out of the hat here. I’m saying it now, and you can quote me on this; Michael Owen will score over twenty goals next season for us overall.

By the way, sorry folks for my absence over the last bit. It’s summer obviously and I’ve been unbearably busy with random things from helping people move house to going to music festivals to going on wild, sexy dates. Anyway, I’m back.

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Category: Transfer Speculation

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Colin

From Football365:

"Spanish newspaper AS claims that Man United are offering £17m plus Dimitar Berbatov to Atletico Madrid for Sergio Aguero. Another offer on the table is £34m plus Nani, but Atletico apparently want the full £51m for Aguero, and have quite rightly calculated that the Portuguese winger is not worth £17m. Not even close. "

Anyone buying it?
red cafe

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miele

Forget the irony, I'm salivating over the possibility of Owen scoring at Anfield. Imagine the Kop.
steven.

BUILD A BONFIRE, BUILD A BONFIRE! THROW OUR OWN STRIKERS ON TOP!

oh, the IRONY ..
matt

i guess they would if you guys ever figured out how to win the league again...but you won't so it's all good.
steven.

two scousers up front for Man U .. will wonders never cease?
miele

Colin makes a lot of sense, especially the point about Owen actually wanting to play for United.
matt

colin is so much nicer about it than i am. what a guy.
Colin

As has been stated numerous times in this forum, while it is unfourtunate that young Italians are signed by bigger clubs (not just Man Utd), the fact remains that the rules in Italy allow this to happen.

Don't blame Man Utd or any of the bigger clubs doing this, because they are playing by the rules.

If a larger, more profitable company offered you a job and a chance to achieve everything you've always wanted, how could you turn that down? Man Utd, Chelsea, Madrid, etc. offer exactly what these youngsters want, a chance to acheive everything possible in their profession / sport and of course they are going to sign for them.

Italian football needs adapt so that they can keep their home grown players otherwise, yes, young players will continue to move abroad.
mac

I know you guys don't care about this, but this is one of the biggest problems in football, and the number one reason I cheered against you in the CL. I know that you the fans don't have anything to do with it, but at the same time you do not have to support it either. As fans you have to know this is not good for the game.

http://goal.com/en/news/1717/e...
CSD

Hope he snaps his ankle. Sorry that came out wrong. Meant to say hope he spontaneously combusts. I'm really no good at this.
Taylor Rockwell

Not as big of a fan of this statement: "That will be good... if I can get a full preseason under my belt."

For a guy who just discussed how healthy he felt, Owen prolly doesn't need to throw around conditional statements at this point...
Taylor Rockwell

http://en.fooooo.com/watch.php...

He really does look like he can't believe he's been signed by somebody other than Stoke or Hull... watch the bit where he signs autographs and he has a look on his face like, "Really? You guys know I'm not Michael Carrick, right? Shouldn't one of you be shirtless and yelling barely understandable threats in my direction?"
SP

and also, to all of you who want these big names to replace who we have lost, i would rather have a 70% chance of winning the league with players who actually wear our shirt with pride than have an 80% chance, but with ppl who are already planning their next moves and only caring for their personal value.

i mean, karim benzema was born and raised in lyon and still left them, even though they are a top european team. do you really think he would have stayed at united until he retires? we're the team that, along with milan, personifies success with committed (scholes, giggs, neville, and probably rooney and ferdinand too) players. we're not a team like real or chelsea that depends on their money to get by.
Nick

I think Owen will be good for United this season. If he can score 10-15 goals for us it will be perfect because now with Ronaldo gone Rooney can take over. I think Rooney will have a great season and could be up there for player of the year.
Andy

When will people understand that you cannot replace Ronaldo! A player of his type is very rare an there is no one on the market at all. This issue is how do you change the team to win cups. Owen will help the team and it involves no transfer fee. Brilliant!
Colin

I strongly believe this will occur next year as well.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn...
SP

first of all, why are people overlooking the fact that this an amazing bargain (wages, too)? secondly, if we replace tevez with a big name, then we are in the same situation we were in this year with the odd man out thing. plus, the transfer window isn't even over yet so it's too early to simplify it to "we’ve replaced Ronaldo and Tevez with Valencia and Owen."

also, i will gladly replace ronaldo with valencia or tosic or whoever else bc ronaldo is a self-absorbed douchebag and, last i checked, those aren't good for the team. i guarantee you a lot of players from within step up big time with ronaldo gone.

i agree with colin that fergie is definitely going to try some sort of coup in january when these ridiculous market values have dropped.
Ste

Big step back if you ask me. We've replaced Ronaldo and Tevez with Valencia and Owen....

Yeah, business wise it's great, but we're not business men; we're football fans, and, more importantly we're United fans. We should be aiming higer than this...
Jack

I think this is a win-win for United, but 20 goals? Negative.
Paddy

Tell me more about these wild sexy dates
matt

i figure when he plays off of berba it might be a little bit like keane and berba at spurs. i don't think he'll score 20 goals. i think he'll be more arond 10-12...which is decent for a free transfer. i'm all about being shrewd etc etc with the transfers but we just lost the 1a or 1b in terms of best players in the world and we need a major signing to make it back to the top again this coming season. i'm not down with finishing behind anyone...esp liverpool or chelsea.
Wayne Farry

Doubt it, by history, he and Roo don't play too well together. But I imagine he'll come in for whoever's tired/injured. But he will start against 'Pool. No doubt.
matt

do you guys think owen is a starter?
Colin

Owen's wages at 30,000 pounds a week plus incentives based on goals and appearences. It doesn't matter if he scores 10 goals or 20, this is a win-win scenario. Plus, he was free. We paid nothing for him. Not to mention he passed a stringent medical and we surely have the best physios in the world.

At Newcastle, all the pressure was on Owen. They needed his goals to have a chance of surviving. At United, he will have no pressure on him whatsoever. He can also serve as a mentor to Rooney and Welbeck who sureley watched him light in up back in 1996 for England.

My guess is that Fergie may hedge his bets and spend big in January when some other top tier talent becomes available.

Last but certainly not least, you can have Benzema, Ronaldo and Tevez. I will take Owen because he actually WANTS to put on the United shirt.
Wayne Farry

I wasn't drinking when I wrote it. But seriously I believe Owen will get more goals next season than Benzema would have, had he had more sense and signed for us. Of course, Benzema would have worked out better in the long term.
matt

wayne have you been drinkin guy? 20? all of it makes me want to barf. we missed out on the marquee signings and we end up signing owen...it just looks bad. we're not going to get ribery so if we don't get silva...a hard knock midfield and some defensive cover this transfer season is a complete and utter failure.
steven.

after i got over the horrible nausea, i crashed my ROFLCOPTER into a LOLCANO .. you lose Tevez, you lose Ronaldo and then miss out on Benzema, Villa and Ribery so you go out and sign......Michael Owen? first Sir Matt Busby and now this .. can't wait to see all the Owen kits!
citeh#1

tevez will get 20 goals next year in a city uniform
Sarit P.

Academy players will get their chance, but it really is only Welbeck and Macheda who are close to the big time, and I imagine they will play every CC and FA cup game as well as some appearances in the league. Blooding the youngsters is important, but these lads are a little too young to throw into the deep end.
Shazz

I think it will turn out to be fantastic.If you saw his interview,he couldnt believe that he actually signed for united.Im sure he feels he owes Sir Alex and Man utd for saving his career by giving him this massive opportunity and hopefully it will reflect with his performances.Kristina, i think a player like Owen will only benefit the likes of Macheda and Wellbeck.Hopefully the world cup next year sees Owen with Rooney in the 1st 11. The journey begins here.
M

At first I thought Fergie was out of his mind, but it makes perfect sense. I have a theory that SAF wanted to play Tevez as a Solksjaer-like supersub, which of course Tevez wasn't happy about. Owen is the perfect player to fit that position as both goal-poacher/supersub - and the brilliant thing is, he doesn't even need to be that fit to be a supersub! I'm really stoked to have him as part of the team... though part of me wonders if this is not somehow a ploy of Rafa to sabotage United from the inside out...