Owen claims Lazio move likely

Michael Owen will join SS Lazio at the end of his Liverpool contract according to Italian magazine 'Guerin Sportivo'.

The weekly publishes an interview today with the 19 year old striker in which he says that Liverpool must improve their squad if they are to stand any chance of keeping him when his contract ends on June 30th 2003. Owen claims that he has signed an agreement to join SS Lazio - current league leaders in Serie A - but the club will not confirm the forty million pound deal. They will not say if any transfer dealing has occured with Owen but Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti did meet Owen's father and business adviser late last year when the deal was first reported on worldsoccernews.com with the Liverpool striker set to earn a basic wage of five million pounds tax free every year.