Michael Owen has moved to a South Manchester hospital this afternoon for further medical tests that are likely to go on into the evening.

The 29-year-old underwent a stringent medical at Carrington, the United training complex, this morning.

The forward underwent an assessment of his troublesome knee yesterday and should Owen be given the all-clear by United's medical staff, he could be confirmed as the Premier League champions' shock new signing by the start of next week.

The move would represent an astonishing turnaround in fortunes for the striker, who was relegated with Newcastle United only six weeks ago. On top of the prospect of winning medals with the Old Trafford club, the chance to pair up with Wayne Rooney will give Owen hope that he can revive his England career.

He has been exiled by Fabio Capello, but England are short of proven strikers with the World Cup finals less than 12 months away and Owen could force his way back into the reckoning if he succeeds at United.

Owen joined the ranks of the unemployed on Wednesday, when his contract at Newcastle expired, and his agents had been so concerned about a lack of interest that they sent a brochure to Premier League managers setting out his strengths.

Liverpool, his former club, were among those who showed no desire to sign him, and only 48 hours ago Sam Allardyce said that a deal would be too risky for Blackburn Rovers because of Owen’s injury record.

But Sir Alex Ferguson has decided that with Owen a free agent, it is a gamble worth taking. The United manager is hopeful that his big-match temperament will yield a glut of goals, while Owen will be thrilled after four nightmare years at St James’ Park.

The deal will require Owen to accept a huge drop in salary from the £120,000 a week he was earning on Tyneside. Everton, who made an offer this week, had been willing to pay a basic salary of about £50,000 a week.

The scale of the United deal is not yet clear in terms of length of contract or salary, but United are understood to have included incentives depending on games played, goals scored and trophies won.

First Owen will have to convince the doctors that he is fully fit. He has not suffered a major injury since snapping his cruciate ligament at the 2006 World Cup finals, which ruled him out almost for an entire season, but there have been a number of niggles and he has lost his once extreme pace.