what the papers say

A deal for Danny?

Strikers are on the agenda today:

News of the World

"Sturridge drops wage bid"

DANIEL STURRIDGE will reduce his wage demands to secure his Premier League future.

The striker, 19, has hit a contract stalemate with Manchester City — and Aston Villa could step in.

England Under-21 star Sturridge has been offered a four-year deal by City that could be worth £30,000 a week.

But a source close to the player claimed the contract is weighted with appearance bonuses, indicating Sturridge is not about to break through into the top rank of players.

........meanwhile Alan Oliver in the People is in no dount that Michael Owen is joining City this summer.....

Sunday People

"Michael Owen's secret op shock"

Michael Owen's fitness battle has been dealt another blow after he had a secret operation in Germany.

Newcastle striker Owen, 29, has taken the opportunity to return to groin specialist Dr Ulrike Muschaweck's clinic in Munich while he has been recovering from an ankle injury picked up in the defeat at Manchester City in January.

Before his own heart triple by-pass operation, Toon manager Joe Kinnear was talking about Owen being back in a black and white shirt for Sunday's visit to Bolton.

But his comeback has now been put back to the game at Hull City on March 14, following the hush-hush visit to Munich where Dr Muschaweck previously performed a double groin operation on him in September 2007.

Injuries have always been a touchy subject with Owen and it is easy to understand why as he has made only 52 Premier League starts for Newcastle, since his £17million transfer from Real Madrid four years ago.

Owen has banged in 26 League goals for Newcastle in that time, giving him an average of a Premier League strike every other game but the club's and fans' patience with his treatment-room record has finally reached breaking point.

His four-year contract runs out in June and the striker will move to Manchester City in the close season.

But money is not an issue as far as Owen is concerned and it is unlikely that City will have to match the £5m-a-year wages he has picked up at St James' Park.

City believe that Owen will be the best Bosman transfer ever but they will be more than interested to hear about his latest groin problems.