Michael Owen admits he regrets joining Newcastle United.
The Ballon d'Or moved to Newcastle from Real Madrid in 2005.
He wrote in his new book, 'Michael Owen: Reboot - My Life, My Time': "Liverpool couldn't match Newcastle's offer. From a career perspective, there was no doubt in my mind that a move to the North East was a downward step.
"As unpalatable as that opinion might be to Newcastle fans, that's more or less what I felt.
"A fee was agreed. Meanwhile, Newcastle wanted to send their chairman Freddy Shepherd and the chief executive down in person to my house to sign the contract. Everything was moving unsettlingly fast.
"I was getting increasingly cold feet about the whole idea. If I was thinking only of the money, Newcastle blew everyone out of the water. That was indisputable. They were offering me a hundred and twenty grand a week.
"When they arrived at my house, I was resigned to the fact it was happening. No Newcastle fan will particularly want to hear this but, as this book is about truth, that's the honest truth."
