Sam Allardyce has placed contract talks for Michael Owen on hold for the time being. The Newcastle United manager wants Owen to prove his long term fitness before arranging a new deal. Owen arrived on Tyneside in 2005 from Spanish La Liga side Real Madrid. Since the transfer he has only played a handful of games for the Magpies after a series of debilitating injuries. With 2 years left on his current contract the 27 year old still needs to prove his worth at the club.

"I'd like to see him play for the next 20 games on the trot or more and then enter into a new contract," he said. "When Michael is fit and scoring every week all managers would want him in their side," said Allardyce, whose comments were reported in several newspapers.

Since his £17m move Michael Owen has been sidelined with various injuries including knee, foot and groin complaints. Also since the move he has regularly been a topic of media speculation regarding a move away from Tyneside.