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Where Will Mickey Play Next Season...?

He claims plenty of clubs are interested in him, but only one or two have said anything out loud at the moment. So where will Michael Owen be next season? We look at the candidates...

Last Updated: 27/06/09 at 14:08 Post Comment

He claims plenty of clubs are interested in him, but only one or two have said anything out loud at the moment. So where will Michael Owen be next season? We look at the candidates in the Premier League...


Aston Villa
A plausible one, and not only because of Emile Heskey. Villa certainly have the money for his wages, and with Owen, Heskey, John Carew and Gabby Agbonlahor Villa would then have an interchangeable combination of big man/little man partnerships that their wingers would thrive upon. This would also mean there wouldn't be quite so much pressure on Owen to stay fit, as there wouldn't be the reliance on him as other possible destinations.
Odds: 5/2.


Blackburn
Looked like a plausible option until Sam Allardyce described Owen on Saturday as an 'unaffordable luxury'. However, in the same interview he claimed Blackburn stand a chance of signing Ruud van Nistelrooy, so how reliable his words are is unclear.
Odds: 16/1 (Paddy Power).


Everton
The current favourite, but it's not entirely clear why. Sure, Everton have the sort of standing that would attract Owen, and David Moyes has showed he's prepared to give perennially injured strikers (Louis Saha) a go before. However, Everton's problem up front last season was that their forwards spent the majority of the time unavailable, so would it really make sense to sign another expensive crock? Even on a pay-as-you-play deal, this seems illogical.
Odds: 2/1.


Hull City
They're certainly willing, with Phil Brown and chairman Paul Duffen slapping their cards and stacks of cash on the table in a very public way over the last few days. However, even with his plummeting cache it's hard to see Owen accepting an offer from a club almost certain to be involved in a relegation struggle next season, and The Newcastle Chronicle described him last week as being 'extremely reluctant' to join Hull.

Also, we'd question the wisdom of Hull even chasing Owen. They would have to shell out a large portion of their (presumably relatively small) wage budget on a luxury, and a luxury that will not play for much of the season. Hull need goals, but they also need reliability, and while Owen might provide one he certainly won't provide the other.
Odds: 5/2.


Liverpool
No chance. A couple of papers got very excited earlier in the summer when Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher said they still rated Owen, and hoped he could resurrect his career. The papers claimed this was a message to Rafa Benitez, urging him to sign Owen, but they were both almost certainly responding to a question along the lines of 'What do you think of Michael Owen?' In that situation, what were they going to say about a man who is presumably a friend of both? "He's an invalid and I hope he never plays again"?
Odds: 11/2.


Newcastle
Hmmmm. Extremely unlikely, given the cost-cutting that Newcastle will have to undergo after their relegation, but what if literally nobody else wants him? Cap in hand, could Owen return to St James's? Probably not, but if Newcastle find someone with more money than sense to buy the club, who knows what will happen.
Odds: 7/1.


Tottenham
Not out of the question. Indeed, Harry Redknapp has shown willingness to go for another ageing striker with injury problems, with his reported interest in Ruud van Nistelrooy. However, that deal was apparently vetoed by Daniel Levy because of his wages, so Owen could prove too expensive as well. Also, with Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe already in his squad, if Redknapp is to sign a striker this summer it will most likely be someone a little bigger.
Odds: 12/1.


Stoke
We've all found Stoke's apparent interest in Owen terribly amusing, but this one looks unlikely for a couple of reasons. Firstly, a quick glance at Tony Pulis's current squad will tell you he doesn't often go for fragile types, and Owen would frankly look hilarious lining up next to James Beattie and Ricardo Fuller. Secondly, Owen probably wouldn't fancy it.

Thirdly, and probably most importantly, Stoke's interest is far from concrete. Pulis's statement of intent was actually more along the lines of 'He's a good player and we like good players'. Furthermore, chairman Peter Coates indicated on Thursday that he had major reservations about signing Owen. "There is always the worry with Michael, because of recent years, how often is he going to play?" he said. "We haven't really discussed Michael at this stage. We know he's about...We will still keep an eye on it, that's about as much as I would say." Not exactly the words of a committed suitor.
Odds: 20/1.


Sunderland
Possible. Ellis Short has plenty of ambition and even more cash, so the wages would most likely not be a problem. Steve Bruce is not afraid of taking players previously thought to be on the scrap heap (see Titus Bramble, Christophe Dugarry, Emile Heskey etc), so he could be open to bringing Owen as well. However, there will be questions about Owen's willingness. While clearly a club looking up, Sunderland were still at the ugly end of the table for the large part of last season, and were only assured of their survival on the final day.
Odds: 18/1 (Paddy Power).


West Ham
Unlikely that they will take on such an expensive option given their ropey financial state. Also, Gianfranco Zola hardly seems the sort to bring in a big name for the sake of it, and while they could do with a striker or two, Owen probably won't be the man.
Odds: 16/1.

Nick Miller

All odds taken from Sky Bet, unless otherwise stated.

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