MICHAEL Owen is expected to make his long-awaited England comeback in the unlikely surroundings of Turf Moor after the Football Association announced the details of a B international at Burnley's ground later this month.

England B will face Albania on Friday, May 25 as part of the build-up to next month's crucial European Championships clash in Estonia, and Steve McClaren is likely to name Owen in his shadow squad as he assesses the striker's fitness following his recent return to action.

With Wayne Rooney and Andy Johnson already ruled out of the trip to Tallinn because of suspension and injury respectively, Owen's availability would be a massive boost to the England boss as he attempts to overhaul Croatia, Russia and Israel at the top of the Euro 2008 rankings.

The Newcastle striker made his first Premiership appearance for more than a year as the Magpies lost 1-0 at Reading on Monday night, and is expected to feature against Blackburn Rovers and Watford in his club's final two matches of the season.

That will help to improve his fitness levels following a ten-month lay-off in the wake of an horrific knee injury suffered at last summer's World Cup, but it is unlikely to be enough to guarantee that Owen is at his sharpest for an Estonian match-up that England can ill afford to lose.

An appearance in June 1's curtain-raising Wembley friendly against Brazil would help further, but McClaren's decision to arrange an additional B international is understood to have been taken with Owen specifically in mind.

The 27-year-old is currently at the heart of a protracted compensation battle between the Football Association and his chairman, Freddy Shepherd.

Shepherd has threatened to apply for an injunction preventing Owen from appearing for his country if the FA do not agree to cover medical fees of around 450,000.

That threat is still hanging over Soho Square but, with the striker showing no ill effects from Monday's Madejski Stadium run-out, the Magpies chief will struggle to prevent Owen from linking up with the rest of the England squad at the end of the month.

Shepherd did at least have something to celebrate yesterday, though, with news that Albert Luque's on-off move to PSV Eindhoven appears to be very much on again.

Sources in Holland suggest that PSV have finally agreed a loan move that will take Luque to the Philips Stadion next season, with a view to a permanent transfer next summer.

PSV had hoped to sign the Spain international in January, but discussions broke down when the Dutch club insisted that Newcastle continue to pay a proportion of his wages.

Since then, Luque has made just two brief sub appearances despite a crippling injury crisis that has left Glenn Roeder struggling to fill his substitute bench on more than one occasion. With no indication that Luque has a long-term future at St James' Park, PSV duly made a renewed approach for the 29-year-old.

And with Newcastle reluctantly accepting that they have no chance of recouping the 10m they splashed out to sign the former Deportivo La Coruna winger two years ago, Luque will be back in the Champions League after joining the Dutch champions for the whole of next season.

Nicky Butt and Scott Parker (both ankle) are rated as 50-50 for tomorrow's home game with Blackburn. Emre (ankle) and Antoine Sibierski (arm) have both been ruled out for the season after picking up injuries at Reading.