Chelsea may pick Michael Owen by January 2009

London, Nov.7 : Chelsea is weighing the option of recruiting Michael Owen to cover for Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Chelsea coach Phil Scolari has been told that he has a budget of 10 million pounds, and if a report in The Sun is anything to go by, Owen can be picked up for between two to three million pounds.

Owen currently earns 108,000 pounds a week at Newcastle, and is unlikely to be offered a similar salary at Chelsea.

Financial restructuring and worries over the number of matches he has played mean a smaller deal will be offered.

A weekly wage of 60,000 pounds could then be topped up by a playing bonus of 100,000 pounds.

ANI