Brighton are preparing to make an ambitious move to sign Manchester United striker Michael Owen.

The Seagulls are are just two points off the Championship play-off places and manager Gus Poyet wants Owen to boost their bid for a top-six finish.

Owen has been at Old Trafford since leaving Newcastle on a free transfer in 2009 but his first-team chances are limited with Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov all ahead of him in the pecking order.

United would demand only a nominal fee for Owen but a major stumbling block would be persuading the 32-year-old to leave the north west.

Owen’s passion away from the pitch is racing and he is continually building up his Manor House stables in Cheshire as he plans for when the time comes to hang up his boots for good.

The one-time England favourite is battling back from a thigh injury and has not played for United since their Champions League win over Otelul Galati in November.