Owen's future keeps clubs on the alert

Graeme Souness mentioned Michael Owen yesterday, though the Newcastle United manager is fully aware that his counterpart at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, is much more likely to be in charge of the England striker this coming season.

Souness is more confident about signing Luis Boa Morte and there is expectation at St James' Park that the Fulham forward will be a Newcastle player by the weekend.

It is Newcastle's understanding that Owen's representatives are due to meet Manchester United shortly and the Magpies are realistic about their potential part in Owen's proceedings. But Newcastle still think they have a chance of signing him, even if it is only for one season on loan, and any encouragement from Owen would have implications for Newcastle's pursuit of Nicolas Anelka and Mark Viduka.

Anelka is not participating in Fenerbahce's pre-season - due to an alleged injury - which augurs well for Newcastle, but the Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson said that Viduka is not for sale.

"We want to keep Mark Viduka and we intend to keep him," Gibson said last night. "We are building a team at Middlesbrough in the hope of producing the best season in the club's history. To lose Mark Viduka would seriously weaken us and we are not prepared to do that."

That will come as a blow to Souness as the Australian was his fall-back option should he fail to sign Anelka.

"Viduka, Anelka, Michael Owen, they're all top strikers," Souness said yesterday. "That's not my opinion, facts speak for themselves. These are 20 goals-a-season strikers and that's the type of player we should be attracting."

With Alan Shearer the only viable attacking selection for Souness, Newcastle's inability so far to attract a new striker is starting to worry fans and there may be hostility should tonight's Intertoto Cup semi-final second leg against Deportivo La Coruna end with Newcastle out of the competition and out of Europe.

Meanwhile, Louis Saha is going nowhere according to his agent, who insists the French striker is equally as good as Owen.

Saha has been cited as the likely odd man out should Owen leave Real Madrid for Manchester United before the closure of the transfer window at the end of the month.

Monaco have been mentioned as one potential suitor for the striker, who has suffered a succession of injuries since his £12.8 million move from Fulham 18 months ago.

Although Ferguson has not publicly confirmed whether he is interested in Owen or not, the United boss did state his satisfaction with Saha's abilities prior to United's recent Far East tour.

And, after meeting Saha in Manchester yesterday, his adviser Ranko Stojic insists nothing has changed.

"Louis wants to stay at Manchester United," he said. "I spoke with him yesterday and he is very optimistic and confident about the new season."

Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has opened the door to any players unhappy at the club, saying he only wants those that are fully committed to staying on next season.

"Anyone that isn't happy will have the opportunity to leave," the Brazilian told Spanish sports daily Marca. "I don't want to see angry faces here. Everyone should be content because if not we will not be able to construct a winning team.

"Those players that don't like being on the bench are perfectly within their rights to say they want to play, but it is up to them to go out and look for another club."

Luxemburgo's remarks follow speculation about the future of several members of the squad whose position has come under threat with the signing of Brazilian forwards Julio Baptista and Robinho and Uruguayan duo Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diogo.

The club have offloaded Argentine internationals Santiago Solari and Walter Samuel to Inter Milan, while Portuguese winger Luis Figo is reported to be on the brink of joining them at the Serie A side. Midfielder Guti has expressed his dissatisfaction at dropping down the pecking order, but last week he appeared to backtrack on his request for a transfer.