City Ready To Offer £9m For Owen!

Eriksson is the former Thai Prime Minister's first choice to succeed Stuart Pearce should his £81.6million takeover bid succeed at Eastlands.

Keith Harris (the man brokering the deal for Thaksin): "It is for Sven to look at the opportunities which present themselves to him.

"I think with some certainty a decision will be made next week.

"Three other managers are on the shortlist. We have tried desperately hard to keep these things private and confidential as it is not fair on the individuals."

Two managers who have already been linked with the vacancy are Sevilla coach Juande Ramos and former Porto and AZ Alkmaar boss Co Adriaanse.

Thaksin Shinawatra: "I would like to see City in the top six. It will not happen overnight, especially this season. It is a bit late for us to do much.

 

"But this year will be much better than last year. Within three seasons you will see a big change at City."

 

Reports from Manchester say Owen will be Sven's first, and biggest, target.

 

But what would he get from a move to Eastlands that he doesn't have at Newcastle? Although the one benefit would be he would be closer to his Southport home, and he has already amassed enough money to buy an upper-class housing estate, so money certainly doesn't influence him.

 

With Big Sam looking at strikers, I'm starting to get the feeling the Toon boss has given up on Owen. Only last week Allardyce said: "If he wants to go there is nothing I could do to stop him".

And it is Owen's refusal to go public and say he WANTS to play for Newcastle that is upsetting the Toon boss most of all.