Whelan - Wigan won't sign Owen

17 June 2009 08:22
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan insists he will not be attempting to sign Michael Owen this summer and has questioned whether the striker is a spent force. The England international's Newcastle contract expires at the end of June and his management company, Wasserman Media Group, has circulated a brochure to selected clubs who could be interested in his services. Whelan insists that the Latics have not received the document but claims that, despite attempting to sign Owen before he moved to St James' Park from Real Madrid for £15million in 2005, he would not be interested. The Wigan chairman - who appointed Roberto Martinez as his new manager on Monday night - believes the 29-year-old is now 'injury-prone', and has hinted that a pursuit of horse racing could be a distraction. Whelan said: "We haven't received the brochure, and we wouldn't be interested in him anyway. Too expensive "His wages are too expensive, for one thing, and, for another, you have to ask whether he still has the urge, the bottle and the drive. "I hope he has, because he has been a great player. But that's a big question. "I tried to sign him when he came back from Real Madrid. I told his agent I'd pay the £15million asking price and allow him to move on whenever he pleased because I wanted him to be playing over here in readiness for the World Cup the following year. "He's looking a bit injury-prone these days, and he does love his horses. "His wages will come down, but it would still be a hell of a lot for us to pay someone more than £25,000 a week."

Source: SKY_Sports