He was virtually in retirement when he had his spell at St James' Park, and was no better when he went to Manchester United four years ago.
Never in a million years was moving to Stoke going to be a good idea ... but he did it for the MONEY and has given the Potters NOTHING in return.
Former Man Utd defender Paul Parker: "You have to look back and say his career was all about Liverpool, the club where he won the Ballon d'Or for Europe's best player in 2001.
"He was never going to be a Real Madrid player because he didn't have enough to his game.
"Madrid look for players who can do something with a second, third and fourth touch.
"Michael Owen was only about touch and shoot. That's all he was, and Real Madrid never played that way.
"In my opinion, it was never going to work the moment he went there.
"I'm sure when he looks back at his career, he might think he made a mistake in going to Real Madrid. He probably should have stayed with Liverpool.
"He didn't fulfil his early promise when he left Liverpool.
"The story was about not enough games, not enough goals and too many injuries. When he went to United that was the end of his Liverpool legacy.
"He'll have regrets that he didn't fulfil his potential really. He'll talk about England and the amount of caps he won.
"But in theory, it is all about what you achieve as a club footballer. In my opinion, he never fulfilled the potential he had."