Futbol Chronicles: Michael Owen a Major Risk for Manchester United

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Considering the loss of Tevez and Ronaldo respectively to two of its biggest footballing rivals, Manchester United would have to be called crazy to even consider signing Michael Owen from Newcastle. 

Newcastle United of course are among the biggest disgraceful entities of English football today, but this new signing that Manchester are committing themselves to is completely out of touch and totally out of reality.

The Michael Owen of today is not the Michael Owen from 11 years ago, when he delightfully made his mark for England against Argentina at the World Cup with one incredible goal. 

England went on to lose that game, but Owen's performance in that particular match only cemented his credentials as a rising young lad of the English system. More importantly, clubs and fans alike quickly began to take notice of the fast and skilled forward.

That was before the injuries began to take over, to the point where Michael would become a total shell of himself in the process.

The final nail in the coffin of course was in Germany during the 2006 World Cup, in which Owen horrifically injured his knee, a terrible sight for viewers to have watched, but one that finally confirmed that Owen was no longer viable as a strong scoring forward like he was before. 

Manchester United could use another top class forward, but Owen doesn't fit the bill at that department.

He's shown glimpses of his old self when he scored in bunches during his injury-plagued years with Newcastle, but he does not have the speed or goal scoring brace that he once had.

He's 29 years of age, already at that peak age where a player's skill begins to tail off a bit, his history of injuries would make it harder from Owen to even replicate his quickness on the ball with his own feet.

Defenders surely don't have the same fear of Owen as they used to before, so Ferguson would have to find a way of which Owen could be used efficiently as a scoring option—even if Owen quickly doesn't settle up in attack with Rooney and co.

He's a good bet for at least 10 to 15 goals a season, a scoring ratio that Alex Ferguson would hope Owen can replicate and double at the same time for United.

One positive aspect not lost in this is that Owen and Rooney have formed an effective partnership when the two played alongside each other for England. Both players combined for an astonishing 22 goals in only 23 games played, an average of just under a goal and half per game by the pair. 

Perhaps Ferguson sees that partnership as a key to reviving Owen's fortunes, and should Owen and Rooney develop their scoring prowess to about the same level as that of their success as a pair for England, than Ferguson would surely feel he's made a signing coup of the season.

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