Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan will welcome midfielder Joey Barton back to the Premier League club when he is released from prison.

"My view is to give him another chance and back him. He has served his sentence, he's been punished for what he did wrong," Keegan told BBC Radio yesterday.

"The world is littered with people who deserve a second chance, got that chance and took it with both hands. I said I would stick by him and I intend to do that," Keegan said.

Barton is due to be released shortly after serving a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager last year.

He was also convicted this month of another assault and handed a suspended four-month sentence for knocking out former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo during a training session in May last year.

Barton, who has one England cap, joined Newcastle United for 5.8 million pounds ($11.55 million) last July after the Dabo incident effectively ended his career with Manchester City.

Keegan also expects England striker Michael Owen to sign a new contract with the club.

"Hopefully, that will be sorted out within the next two or three weeks," he said.

"I'm not involved with that with the way the club works - that's for Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez to sort out. But I believe he will sign a new deal. I know he wants to stay and know we want to keep him, they are two things in our favour.

"I hope that it will be sorted out in the next couple of weeks. He's a leader for us in the way he trains, the way he leads by example."

Keegan maintains his belief that the top four are unlikely to be caught by the chasing pack in the near future.

"As we try and strengthen to catch up, the top four strengthen to keep us away," the Newcastle manager said.

"Being realistic is important and at the moment they are a little way ahead of us... the league table shows you that."