Keegan expects Owen stay

Newcastle boss confident striker will agree new deal

Last updated: 18th April 2008

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Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan is confident Michael Owen is ready to agree a long-term deal at St James' Park.

Owen is out of contract with the Magpies, who face derby rivals Sunderland on Sunday, at the end of next season and Keegan is desperate to secure the England striker on a new deal.

When Keegan returned to Newcastle for his second managerial stint in January it was suggested Owen could move on after the forward was critical of his former England boss following their time working together at international level.

However, Keegan insists he has let Owen and the Newcastle chairman Chris Mort know that he is keen for the 28-year-old to remain on Tyneside and he expects a new deal to be agreed.

Discussions

"It's for Chris Mort to do that now," said Keegan. "I have made it absolutely clear what I think should be done, and I have passed that on to him.

"He will handle that now so any questions about that will be between Chris Mort and Michael's advisors.

"But my feeling is, genuinely, that he wants to be here, he wants to help lead this club for the next few years.

"I don't want to tempt providence, but I think that is a deal that will be done as soon as they get together, really. I don't think it will take long."

New faces

And Keegan has also reaffirmed that he is looking to bring in at least three new faces in the summer.

"I want to keep the good players," added Keegan. "And we want to bring at least three or four in.

"That is the intention. And then we will see if next season can be a big step up."

Keegan is expected to overhaul his squad in the summer, but following a five-game unbeaten run the Magpies boss has hinted that he may have changed his opinion on a number of players who he had previously deemed surplus to requirements.

"Because they have got a bit of confidence, some of the players who maybe we were thinking, 'I've seen better players play for Newcastle', maybe we are having second thoughts now," Keegan concluded.