SOCCER:The chances of Michael Owen starting next season as a Newcastle United player increased yesterday when Alan Shearer suggested that the England striker would remain on Tyneside this summer.

"If anyone says to me 'Will Michael still be here next season?,' I would have to say 'Yes, I think he will be'," said Shearer. Nevertheless the former Newcastle and England captain, who not only shares an agent and a strong friendship with Owen but played a key part in luring him to St James' Park from Real Madrid two summers ago, bases such belief on purely pragmatic reasoning.

"I don't think anyone would be prepared to pay £10 million or £11 million for Michael until they have seen him play again for five or six months," admitted Shearer, now working as a global ambassador for Newcastle in addition to his television punditry for the BBC.

Owen missed virtually the whole of last season after rupturing cruciate knee ligaments during the 2006 World Cup and, despite scoring for England in Estonia earlier this month, never had a chance to properly recapture his old sharpness before the summer break.

Owen attended his friend Steven Gerrard's wedding at the weekend but although Gerrard has apparently urged the Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, to bring the striker back to Anfield, Shearer insists a bright future awaits him by the Tyne. The former Newcastle number nine feels that Sam Allardyce's new signing, Mark Viduka, is the ideal type of centre-forward for Owen to play off.

"I think Michael playing up front with Mark Viduka will be a great partnership for Newcastle," said Shearer. "Viduka is great at holding the ball up and we all know how great Michael is at scoring goals. I don't think there will be many better attacking partnerships out there in the Premiership next season than the one at St James' Park."

Guardian Service