体坛英语新闻：Owen joins Stoke as free agent

LONDON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former England striker Michael Owen has signed for Stoke City as a free agent, said the English Premier League side on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old sealed a one-year contract with Stoke after being released by Manchester United at the end of last season.

"Delighted to have signed for Stoke subject to Premier League approval," he posted on Twitter. "We have been in talks for a while and it was a club I was always keen to join."

Clubs are able to sign free agents outside the transfer window but are only able to field them in the Premier League if they have previously registered fewer than 25 players.

Owen, suffering a series of injuries, just started one Premier League match in the last two seasons.

The former England star, who made his name at Liverpool before joining Real Madrid, has scored 221 goals in 473 appearances in Premiership and 40 goals in 89 appearances for England.