Michael Owen weighs up options

Newcastle striker Michael Owen is considering his options after being offered a new contract by the north-east club, which includes a £25,000 a week pay cut to a paltry £80,000 a week. The 29-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the season, may decide to look for a move in the transfer window rather than accept the cut. Owen is currently valued at around £2m, but prospective buyers are unlikely to be willing to exceed Newcastle's latest offer of £80,000 a week. The Magpies boss, Joe Kinnear, says that other clubs, thought to include Everton and Tottenham, are interested in the player, and he has also been linked to Chelsea, who are looking for a, by their standards, cheap striker.

TRANSFER TALK: MICHAEL OWEN

LAST UPDATED 10:27 AM, DECEMBER 16, 2008