Michael Owen may walk way on a free  from Newcastle at the end of the season.

Talks on Michael Owen’s new contract have been on hold since Keegan’s departure in September and new boss Joe Kinnear fears that Owen could leave the club on a free transfer come the end of the season.

Kinnear said:

I will put the ball in the players court and offers will be made and then it is up to them to let me know  if they will accept them.

We won’t be selling anybody here until we are out of the position we are in. We are fighting relegation with 10 others and I don’t see the point in getting rid of our best players.

We have heard lots of things, that Michael’s agent has had lots of clubs on to him, they will want to know what type of contract we are going to offer him.

I won’t go into those details now, but we will be offering him what we consider an excellent contract considering the climate of what is happening around all football clubs.

But the ball is in his court. I will find out, hopefully, on Tuesday.

I’m not confident, to be honest. I’m pretty confident about everybody else, but Michael is a different kettle of fish. He is looking at his options.

Kinnear will talk with Owen Nicky Butt, Steve Harper and Shola Ameobi to discuss their futures and although he is resigned to losing Owen in the summer, he will be determined to keep him until the end of the season and not let him go in January.