LONDON - HULL manager Phil Brown wants Michael Owen to join his side despite the forward's injury record.

The 29-year-old has said he wants to leave Newcastle United following their relegation from the Premier League, having missed much of last season with an ankle ligament problem.

Owen's Newcastle deal expires on Tuesday and he then becomes a free agent.

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward Owen's injury history and wage demands might scare some clubs off. But even though Hull escaped relegation from the Premier League last month by just a point, Brown believes his side do have a chance of bringing Owen to the KC Stadium.

'He is still connected to a football club, we haven't been given permission by that football club to talk to him, so we will honour that,' Brown told Sky Sports on Friday.

'But he will be available from July 1 and hopefully Michael will give us the time of day and we can get around a table, then who knows?' Brown added: 'There's no such thing as a free transfer. It is obviously a very attractive proposition with regard to Hull City.

'To bring, not a former international, a present international, an England international to the club would be a great achievement for myself personally, but for the football club.

Brown also reiterated his desire to sign Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune, who impressed during a loan spell in the Premier last season with West Brom. Celtic, where former Baggies boss Tony Mowbray is now the manager, are also interested in signing Fortune.

'We're trying to improve our strikeforce. I think Marc got five goals in something like 11 starts in 18 games altogether, that's equivalent to one in three, so Marc would be one that interests us, but obviously with Celtic up there, that's an attractive proposition for him as well.

'Hopefully it's just between us and Celtic. There will be one or two (other clubs) waiting in the wings until somebody puts pen to paper.' -- AFP