England and Newcastle United striker Michael Owen is confident that he is still on course to play again before the end of the Premiership season and in time to face Estonia in the EURO 2008 qualifier in June.

27-year-old Owen has been sidelined ever since succumbing to injury, playing for England in last June's World Cup Final clash against Sweden, just a matter of weeks after returning from a five-month lay-off with a fractured metatarsal.

England boss Steve McClaren would dearly love to see the return of the man who currently stands fourth in the country’s all-time list of international goalscorers with 36 goals in 80 senior appearances.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker is continuing his rehabilitation from surgery to repair his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and is hoping to return to full training within the next few weeks.

Owen still hasn’t put a date on his intended comeback, but he is adamant that he will make a return before the end of the Premiership season and well in time to feature for England in June’s EURO 2008 qualifier away to Estonia .

Speaking to the Times, Owen said: "I would think it would be a couple of weeks before I can join in training.

"I am kicking and running straight as hard as I like, and then it is the twisting and turning."

Owen has only played 11 games for the Magpies since his £17 million transfer in the summer of 2005, but his hope of returning to the team in time to play a part in this season's UEFA Cup final ended after Newcastle’s defeat to Alkmaar Zaanstreek (AZ) in Holland last week.

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