NEWCASTLE, England - Manchester United new signing Michael Owen is still being paid 50,000 pounds (S$117,805) a week by his former club Newcastle even though he left the squad at St James park a week ago, north-east England newspaper Sunday Sun reported on Sunday.

The 29-year-old ex-England, Real Madrid and Liverpool star accepted a massive drop in salary when he agreed Sir Alex Ferguson's offer to move to Old Trafford. But contractual details mean his wages are being made up to their original level by the Magpies until the end of this month.

Several players who have left since Newcastle were relegated from the Premiership at the end of last season are owed hundreds of thousands of pounds due under terms of generous contracts, the newspaper added.

Australian striker Mark Viduka who quit last month and whose name has been linked with Fulham is owed a golden farewell payment of more than 300,000 pounds.

Brazilian defender Cacapa is also continuing to draw a weekly paycheck from St James Park even though he left at the end of the season and seems set to return to French football with a possible offer from Montpellier.