With Owen's contract at St. James' Park expiring by the end of the season, speculation have grown linking the 28-year-old with a move out of the club.

"I can assure everyone that clearly we are not going for Michael Owen," Benitez was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Contract talks between Newcastle and the England forward stumbled in recent weeks as the club board find Owen's wage demands too high.

It's worth mentioning that Owen started his career with Liverpool, scoring 118 goals in eight years for the club, before moving to Real Madrid in 2004.