‘INJURY-PRONE’ Michael Owen will play at the top level for years. That’s the opinion of the medical expert who knows the new Manchester United striker’s tortured body best and will be music to manager Alex Ferguson’s ears.

John Green, the physiotherapist who is the 29-year-old Owen’s personal consultant told the Daily Mirror: “Michael is an exceptional professional and is always diligent and committed when undertaking his programmes.

“In my opinion he will play at the highest level for many years — trouble free!”

Green delivers his cate-goric verdict — as well as an indepth insight into the player’s medical woes — in the 34-page document Owen’s advisers sent out to clubs recently, as revealed by Daily Mirror.

United insisted their controversial new signing underwent a rigorous medical before they completed his recruitment on a two-year deal.

The fact the former England star was a free agent did not lessen the club’s belief they had to be certain Owen was not another injury waiting to happen. Green, his medical mentor, has made it clear that under his guidance Owen has become a fitter footballer.

“Michael’s medical issues have more to do with questionable advice rather than him being an individual susceptible to injury. He ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the World Cup game against Sweden in 2006,” said Green.

“He had played limited football leading up to the tournament due to a fractured metatarsal he sustained on New Year’s Day 2006 against Tottenham. He was ill-prepared to play in the World Cup but how could he refuse his country?

“When Michael approached me to rehabilitate him following his anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in Oct 2006, he stressed he wanted the programme to encompass the whole of his body.

“This would primarily focus on leg strength. Following tests, we deduced that Michael’s hamstrings were weak eccentrically (this lack of strength renders the athlete susceptible to muscle strains).

“Michael and I instigated an appropriate regime of strengthening exercises to rectify the muscular imbalances that had been noted. Four months later, re-tests were performed and showed no deficits in strength.

“I recommended a maintenance programme of exercise. Michael continues to do this under my supervision. “He has not had any recurrence of hamstring issues,” said Green.

“I was asked to see Michael by David James. Following Michael’s return from his cruciate ligament injury under my guidance I treated Damien Duff and Dean Ashton for their respective foot and ankle injuries.

“I also successfully treated Craig Bellamy following a long-standing groin problem while he was at West Ham. He was subsequently sold to Manchester City.”

Owen has been dogged by injuries during his career. He has had repeated hamstring problems, surgery on both groins and a number of ankle strains.

He fractured his metatarsal in Jan 2006 and a serious knee injury against Sweden in the 2006 World Cup sidelined him for almost the whole of the following season.