Source: Telegraph
Everton and Tottenham consider January bids for Michael Owen
Owen, who was an Everton supporter in his school days, has emerged as David Moyes' chief target as he looks to bring in a proven Premier League goalscorer and Newcastle's failure to tie the England striker to a new contract has convinced Everton that a deal can be struck.[LNB]Everton have lost Yakubu for the season through injury and concerns persist over the fitness of Louis Saha, prompting Moyes to explore ways of funding a move for a player who made his name as a forward for the club's city rivals, according to a report in the People.[LNB]Owen's current deal with Newcastle sees him paid in excess of £100,000-a-week and matching such a figure could prove problematic for Everton, with cash rich pair Chelsea and Manchester City also touted as possible destinations for Owen.[LNB]Owen's career since leaving Liverpool four-and-a-half years ago has been beset by injury but his eye for goal has not wavered. Owen scored 16 goals in 42 games for Real Madrid, despite often being deployed as a substitute, and he has scored 28 times in 50 appearances for Newcastle.[LNB]Newcastle have publicly insisted that Owen will not be sold in January, though have conceded that, with no new contract yet on the table, he could talk to clubs in the New Year as he enters the final six months of his current deal.[LNB]That leaves the possibility that Owen could leave for nothing in the summer and Newcastle might be tempted to cash in before then, though manager Joe Kinnear bullishly suggested otherwise this week.[LNB]'What I am led to believe is that [Owen] has numerous options. Lots of clubs have inquired to his agent about going in June,' said Kinnear.[LNB]'There is no chance of him going in January. Why lose a goalscorer when you are fighting relegation and the owner is aware of that. [LNB]'What is the point of getting £3 million and being relegated? I am 100 per cent certain that, even if a bid comes in next month, the board will back me even if it means him going for nothing in June.'[LNB]That position will be tested in January, with Tottenham also expressing an interest, with Harry Redknapp willing to sell Roman Pavlyuchenko to Real Madrid to fund his own team-building plans.[LNB]Redknapp believes an offer of around £4 million for Owen would prove successful and though he would be required to take a slight pay cut to move to White Hart Lane, the prospect of playing in a winning team and forcing his way back in to Fabio Capello's England set up would appeal to Owen.[LNB]As Redknapp begins the process of overhauling the side he inherited from Juande Ramos, the former Portsmouth manager is also interested in bringing Joe Cole to the club, according to the News of the World, though a deal will not be struck before the summer.[LNB]Redknapp rates Cole highly and handed the midfielder his Premier League debut when the pair were together at West Ham United.[LNB]The player's contract negotiations with Chelsea have been postponed until the summer meaning Cole would be entering the final year of his current deal at the end of this season, a position Redknapp feels he can exploit.[LNB]
