Owen puts future in Newcastle

Real Madrid's England striker Michael Owen (pictured) has opted to return to the English Premiership with Newcastle United after a return to Liverpool broke down.

Real Madrid's England striker Michael Owen has opted to return to the English Premiership with Newcastle United after a return to Liverpool broke down.

Newcastle said Madrid had accepted a club record bid, believed to be 16 million pounds. Newcastle paid Blackburn a club record 15 million pounds for former England captain Alan Shearer in 1996.

Owen was to undergo a medical later Tuesday before signing a four-year deal, the Newcastle website said.

"Bringing Michael to St James Park will rank alongside the signing of Alan Shearer as my proudest moment at Newcastle United," chairman Freddy Shepherd said.

"Newcastle fans love centre-forwards and Michael is a fantastic goalscorer. He's someone we would love to build the team around and we hope he can help us bring success to the club."

Owen wanted to return to his former club Liverpool but they were unwilling to pay more than the 8 million pounds Madrid paid for him last year.

Newcastle are currently second-bottom of the Premiership without a league goal in four matches and one point out of a possible 12 and will be looking to Owen to kickstart their season.

He will be unveiled next week after returning from international duty with England who are playing two World Cup qualifiers.

Owen flew to England for talks with both Liverpool and Newcastle on Monday after being left out of the Real side for Sunday night's Primera Liga match at Cadiz, where his club won 2-1.

He had spent most of last season behind Brazil star Ronaldo and club captain Raul in the Madrid pecking order and was pushed further down when Madrid signed Brazil pair Robinho and Julio Baptista in the summer.

And England coach Sven Goran Eriksson told him that if he was unable to get first-team football then his place in the England squad for the 2006 World Cup would be in doubt.

So the 25-year-old agreed his future lay with Newcastle.