OwenS fit for pre-season training

Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves have given Manchester United a massive boost by declaring themselves fit for pre-season training.

The first-team squad - excluding the World Cup stars - are due back on July 5 but both Owen and Hargreaves have already been in at the Red Devils' Carrington training ground to work with the fitness team.

Owen has worked ferociously to recover from the knee injury that cut short his season.

The United staff have been impressed with his dedication and are convinced he is ready to take a full part in pre-season and the club's tour of America and Canada.

Owen will be joined by Hargreaves, who is over his 20-month injury crisis. The England midfielder managed a brief end-of-season bow against Sunderland after crippling tendinitis threatened his career.

He has recently returned from a trip to Colorado, where he continues to receive treatment.

But there have been no ill-effects and Hargreaves has been able to maintain a high-intensity training programme through the summer, much to the relief of manger Sir Alex Ferguson and England boss Fabio Capello.

Capello even considered Hargreaves as part of the pre-World Cup party until Fergie made it clear the player was not match-fit.

The FA's medical staff, however, have been monitoring his fitness with Capello pencilling Hargreaves in for an international return in September for the start of the Euro 2012 qualifiers.