THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON — Michael Owen has joined English champion Manchester United, a striking reversal of fortunes for an injury-plagued striker who had been consigned to the England scrap heap by Fabio Capello.
Owen, 29, was a free agent after his contract with relegated Newcastle expired, but said he did not see United as a potential destination until being phoned by manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Wednesday.
"I never though it in my wildest dreams really — when I got the call from the manager to come and meet him it was a shock," Owen said. "I know there will be a few people saying the manager shouldn’t have bought me."
Owen’s agent had been so concerned about finding him a new club that he sent a 32-page brochure to clubs around Europe promoting the player and rebutting fitness fears.
Though the likes of Wigan and Blackburn had dismissed the former Real Madrid and Liverpool player as past his prime, Ferguson is willing to take — as United’s official website says — a calculated gamble.
"Michael is a world-class forward with a proven goal-scoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question," Ferguson said. "Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish."
Ferguson needed another scorer to link up with Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov after Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez both left Old Trafford last month.
"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 that he wanted to sign me," Owen said. "I agreed without a moment’s thought. This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it with both hands."
Owen underwent stringent medical examinations on his troublesome right knee before the contract was signed.
"I’m sure a club like this can re-ignite my career," Owen said. "I do not feel that I am injury-prone."
With no signing fee, Owen will be cheap. United is also reportedly paying a modest salary that is unlikely to reach the 110,000 pounds (C$208,750) he was receiving each week at Newcastle. However, the salary could go up if he can rediscover his scoring form for Ferguson’s side.
"I give him (Ferguson) my assurance that I will repay him with my goals and performances," Owen said.
Goals, though, were lacking at Newcastle, with Owen scoring just 10 times in 32 matches as the northeast club was relegated to the League Championship in May.
.Despite being British soccer’s most successful manager, Ferguson has only managed to sign Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia from Wigan in the off-season, struggling to attract top-class talent after United was humbled by Barcelona in the Champions League final in May.
The 67-year-old Scot has been snubbed by Karim Benzema, who opted to leave Lyon to join Ronaldo and Kaka at Madrid, and by Franck Ribery, who is set to stay at Bayern Munich.
Owen featured in just 79 matches, scoring 30 goals in the four seasons since Newcastle paid a club-record 16 million pounds (C$30.4 million) in 2005.
His Newcastle fortunes waned as his list of injuries lengthened: groin, calf, ankle, thigh, hernia, metatarsal and knee ligament to date. And so did an England career that had begun with such devastating style in 1998 when the 18-year-old Owen dazzled the globe with a superb solo goal against Argentina at the World Cup.
But since featuring in a friendly 15 months ago against France and later picking up a calf strain, the striker has not earned a 90th appearance for England.
Joining United may not only resurrect his club career, but give him a chance of playing at a fourth World Cup as he would be reunited with Capello’s first-choice forward Rooney at Old Trafford.
"I am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here," Owen said.
Owen is the only player to score for England in four major tournaments, and he also played in a fifth, the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but he damaged knee ligaments early in a group game against Sweden.
Owen’s recent woes have overshadowed a once flourishing career. When still feared by opponents, his goals helped Liverpool win two League Cups, an FA Cup and a UEFA Cup between 2001 and ’03.
Since he left Anfield for Real Madrid in 2004, however, he has won nothing.