Kinnear optimistic Owen will stay in Magpies´ nest

Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear is increasingly confident Michael Owen will stay at St James' Park after holding contract talks with the England striker.

Owen's current 103,000 pounds-a-week (153,969 dollars) deal expires at the end of the current season.

Kinnear said Thursday that Owen had been offered a new three-year contract and that, having initially been downbeat about holding onto the former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward, he was optimistic of keeping his highly-prized asset.

“I spent about an hour with him a couple of days ago,” former Wimbledon manager Kinnear, 61, said Thursday.

“He's had what I consider a very good offer, length of period of time three years, which would bring Michael up to 32-plus.

“I am optimistic – I am more optimistic now having spent that time talking to him.

“He's getting together with his agent in the next two or three days and coming back with an answer.

“Obviously, they'll still be negotiating one way or the other, but we'll certainly find out, I would think, in the next two or three days.”

Nicky Butt, Shola Ameobi and Steve Harper have also been offered new deals and Kinnear is hopeful they will sign within the next 24 hours.

He added: “We hope to sign Nicky at some time today (Thursday) and Shola is the same.

“Steve's agent is talking to (owner) Mike (Ashley) today, so I'm very confident they will all sign.

“Nicky is happy. He wants to finish his career here.

“There is only Michael, really. We are giving him an extra few days to sort things out, but I am getting more optimistic with Michael.”

Owen, after marking his 29th birthday by scoring the opening goal against Portsmouth in Newcastle's 3-0 win last weekend, as the Magpies' first away victory this season took the north-east side out of the bottom three, was coy about his long-term future.

“Obviously, there's a lot made of it,” Owen told Sky Sports. “What do you want me to say?”