London(Reuters)
- Former European Footballer of the Year Michael
Owen has completed a surprise free transfer move
to Manchester United, the Premier League
champions said on Friday.
"Michael is a world class forward with a proven
goalscoring record at the highest level and that
has never been in question," said manager Alex
Ferguson.
"Coming to Manchester United with the
expectations that we have is something that
Michael will relish," he added on the club''s
official website (www.manutd.com).
Owen, 29, had been out of contract after
deciding to leave relegated Newcastle United and
becomes Alex Ferguson''s second signing of the
close-season following Ecuador winger Antonio
Valencia''s move from Wigan Athletic on Tuesday.
The ex-Liverpool striker has struggled for form
and fitness in four years at Newcastle, scoring
just 30 goals, and has been consistently
overlooked by England manager Fabio Capello.
Owen, seventh on the list of all-time top
scorers in the Premier League with 144, had been
linked by British media with a move to Hull City
last week but will instead replace Argentina
forward Carlos Tevez who left United 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."
EUROPEAN AWARD
The 2001 European Footballer of the Year, who
has scored 40 times in 89 appearances for his
country, shot to fame as a goalscoring teenager
with Liverpool and England before joining Real
Madrid in 2004.
He had a single season at the Bernabeu where he
failed to hold down a first team place amongst
the "galacticos", before moving on to Newcastle
in 2005 who were relegated to the Championship
(second division) in May.
Owen will be reunited with striker Wayne Rooney
whom he successfully partnered in attack for
England before injuries curtailed his
international career.
"I am now looking forward to being a Manchester
United player and I am fortunate that I already
know so many of the players here," Owen added.
