EPL: Michael Owen reveals Premier League club he regrets joining -

Former England striker, Michael Owen, has admitted his move from Real Madrid to Newcastle United, was a “downward step” and the “one I really regret”.

Owen signed in 2005 for £17m, a year after joining Real from Liverpool, but injuries limited him to 79 appearances in four years.

“I should have followed my gut instincts.

“I didn’t want to go there – my heart was set on a return to Liverpool,” Owen says in his new book, Reboot – My Life, My Time.

Owen also revealed Liverpool could not match Newcastle’s offer 14 years ago, so he reluctantly agreed his switch to the Magpies.

“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,” the 39-year-old, who also played for Manchester United and Stoke City before retiring in 2013, added.