The Daily Mail: Where will Owen go?

From The Daily Mail.

Michael Owen has hinted he may need to leave Real Madrid in order to play regular first-team football, sparking reports of a return to England this summer.

Here we look at the clubs who may make a move for the England striker should he decide to cut short his Spanish sojourn.

ARSENAL
The Gunners have been strongly linked with Owen, possibly in a swap deal with Spain striker Jose Antonio Reyes who is homesick. A potential partnership with Thierry Henry would be one of the fastest on the planet and suit the tempo Arsene Wenger's team like to play at. It would also give them another 20-goals-a-season striker.

VERDICT: Reyes' desire to go back to Spain makes this deal look like a winner. From Owen's point of view, he could expect to be a regular starter.

CHELSEA
Could certainly outdo Arsenal if it came down to a bidding war, it depends on whether Owen fits in with Jose Mourinho's vision at Chelsea. A penalty-box predator is the one thing the Blues have really missed this season and neither Eidur Gudjohnsen nor Didier Drogba are in double figures for Premiership goals this season, while Mateja Kezman has not settled.

VERDICT: Chelsea's need for an out-and-out goalscorer and almost unlimited resources could bring Owen to Stamford Bridge. He might even be joined in west London by former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard.

EVERTON
The Blues still have some cash in the bank from the sale of Wayne Rooney, and Owen could make a good foil for James Beattie. David Moyes' men would surely have to qualify for the Champions League to tempt Owen and even then he may prefer to go for more instant gratification with Arsenal or Chelsea rather than join the long-term project Moyes is undertaking at Goodison Park.

VERDICT: Their only chance may be if Arsenal and Chelsea look elsewhere for strikers.

LIVERPOOL
Ian Rush did it, why not Owen? However, the difference now in returning to Liverpool could not be greater. While Rush returned to a Reds team still dominating the English game, the Anfield men are now struggling just to finish in the top four, with the Carling Cup their only genuine chance of silverware this season. Should Steven Gerrard leave too, going back 'home' is hardly an attractive proposition for Owen.

VERDICT: Little left to offer Owen - they are a long way from challenging the 'big three' yet.

MANCHESTER UNITED
Sir Alex Ferguson might consider the prospect of Owen linking up with Rooney for club as well as country as appealing, but Ruud van Nistelrooy might have something to say about that. United appear to have strength in depth up front and the last thing Owen would want is to move from the Bernabeu bench to the one at Old Trafford.

VERDICT: The Red Devils already look good going forward - signing Owen almost seems unnecessary.

NEWCASTLE
The Magpies could well be looking for a new Gallowgate idol should Alan Shearer stick to his guns and retire at the end of the season. Money should not be too much of a problem and first-team football is pretty much guaranteed. The major difficulty in tempting him to the north-east, other than rival interest from London's big two, could be the lack of European football on offer.

VERDICT: Newcastle could be a club in transition this summer - Owen will want stability and the promise of trophies, so unlikely."