West Brom to offer Hargreaves Premier League Lifeline

England international midfielder Owen Hargreaves has reportedly attracted interest from Barclays Premier League side West Bromwich Albion. The 30-year old former Bayern Munich midfielder was released by Manchester United this summer after several injury plagued seasons severely restricted his contributions on the field. Hargreaves made only 39 appearances in his four years at Old Trafford.

Hargreaves is looking to pick himself back up after repeated injuries

While undoubtedly England’s only world-class holding midfield player when fit, Hargreaves failed to justify a contract extension at United, and is now a free agent. In Jonathan Woodgate, Hargreaves has a compatriot in a similar situation, with the center-back having been blighted with injuries at Tottenham Hotspur. Woodgate signed a deal with Stoke today, believed to be a pay-as-you-play deal. Hargreaves will probably have to settle for a similar deal if he wants to stay in the top flight. This will be in spite of the effort put in by his PR team in putting up videos on YouTube, highlighting Hargreaves’ fitness. Here is a link to Hargreaves’ YouTube channel.

Hargreaves’ former manager with England, Sven Goran Eriksson, expressed an interest in bringing him to Leicester City, saying

”I saw his videos, and if he wants to come here I will open the door and stand and wait for him in the door.

He’s been very unlucky in recent years, but if he’s close to what he was, he is a fantastic football player. I haven’t spoken to him for a while – maybe I should.

However, if Roy Hodgson comes calling, it is far more likely that Hargreaves will don West Bromwich Albion’s colours next season than those of Leicester City. The transfer window is still in it’s early days though, and if he doesn’t move to The Hawthorns, expect plenty of other clubs, including the likes of newly-promoted, nouveau-riche QPR, to show interest. Watch this space for further developments.