Newcastle United Football Club News

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
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Owen ready to restart talks

07 Dec 2008 - 12:54:52

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Michael Owen insists nothing sinister can be read in to his delay in signing a new contract with Newcastle United.

The 28-year-old former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker, whose current St James' Park deal expires at the end of this season, had been in talks about a new contract until Kevin Keegan's controversial exit in September.

Owen told the BBC: "We had a few meetings earlier on in the season and things were going fine.

"Then the manager left as did someone on the board who we were negotiating with and talks haven't picked up since.

"Before it gets twisted again, that's not me snubbing Newcastle.

"They've got bigger things to fry than sorting out my contract, or the contracts of Steven Harper, Shola Amoebi, Mark Viduka and Nicky Butt - there are a lot of people out of contract.

"They haven't got round to talking with the players. There's been a lot of turmoil at the club and I suppose they've been shuffled to the back of the queue."

Owen has found the net 28 times in 61 appearances for the Magpies since arriving on Tyneside in August 2005.