Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce insists Michael Owen's contract situation is of no concern.

Newcastle moved swiftly during Owen's spell with the national side to quash claims that he still has a get-out clause in his contract at St James' Park which could see him leave the club for as little as £6million.

However, Allardyce's revelation that there were no immediate plans to extend the former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward's contract - with almost two years of his existing deal still to run - caused a fresh splash.

The manager is perplexed by the furore - and is simply intent on making the most of Owen's goal-scoring prowess after two injury-plagued seasons on Tyneside.

He said: "I do not know why anybody has brought the contract up, because I do not see it as an issue at the moment at all."