Owen PLUS Solari PLUS £20m FOR Lamps
Taken from
News of the world [This same story was at
Gazzetta as well]
REAL MADRID have sensationally offered Chelsea £20million PLUS Michael Owen and Argentinian midfielder Santiago Solari for Footballer of the Year Frank Lampard.
The bid clearly indicates that Owen has no future with the Spanish giants. Lampard's agent Steve Kutner confirmed: "It's very flattering for Frank to be wanted by a club as big as Real Madrid.
"But Frank has just participated in an incredible season at Chelsea and so long as they continue to want him, he'll be giving everything he can to help them win more and more trophies."
Madrid's move for Lampard, flatly rejected by Chelsea, underlines how the England ace has become one of the greatest midfielders in the world since his £11m switch to Stamford Bridge from West Ham.
He was outstanding as Jose Mourinho's men claimed the title for the first time in 50 years and, fittingly, it was his brace of goals at Bolton that clinched the historic triumph in Chelsea's centenary year.
Real wanted to up his wages from £80,000 to £90,000 a week and grant him a lucrative image rights package so he could also cash in on his growing fame around the world.
But while the news is flattering for Lampard, it is devastating for Owen, who moved to Madrid from Liverpool only last August for £8m.
Owen scored 13 goals in 20 league games, even though he was a substitute in 15 of them.
Solari is also surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu.
Sport of the World revealed last week that Owen told pals he wants to play for Manchester United.