Newcastle United saw nothing of the player they thought they had signed - and he openly admitted: "I play better in a good side, than one that is struggling".
In the end the deal to sign him cost Newcastle £1.5m a goal!
Michael Owen: "I love football and I love playing football, but I certainly won't be one of those players that drops down levels and all the rest of it.
"I would like to bow out when I'm in reasonably good shape and on top of my game.
"I love football and I love playing football, but I certainly won't be one of those players that drops down levels.
"We all know age catches up with everyone and I know as well as anyone that I was twice the player at 18, 19, 20 than maybe I am now.
"But the manager thinks I'm still good enough to play a part in the team and more importantly I feel I am still capable of contributing to the team.
"My career will probably last two, three, maybe four more years but that's it.
"I have said all along that I would love to stay on and it was just a case of whether the club would offer me a new contract.
"The manager spoke to me a couple of weeks before the end of the season. The Premier League and the Champions League took priority, which they should do, before we announced anything.
"It was great news when the manager said he wanted to keep me. It was a big confidence boost because there are so many good players at Man Utd and it's an honour to think that I still have a part to play for the club."