Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has handed the fight for compensation following Michael Owen's injury over to the club's lawyers.

Shepherd was contacted by the Football Association today after calling for a 'one rule for all' approach to the issue of injuries sustained on international duty following speculation that Wayne Rooney had been treated as a special case.

FA chiefs swiftly dismissed suggestions they had taken out extra insurance to cover a £30million transfer fee and career earnings for the Manchester United star in the event that he picked up a serious injury during the World Cup finals in Germany.

An FA spokesman said: "We have assured Freddy Shepherd this morning that we have one insurance policy in place which covers all England players.

"No additional policies have been taken out, or premiums paid, to cover any individual players.

"This policy compensates clubs for both permanent and temporary injuries sustained by players whilst on international duty with England at a considerable cost to the FA.

"It is important to point out that the FA is one of the very few national associations that has such a policy in place to compensate clubs."

However, Shepherd, who faces picking up the tab for the proportion of Owen's wages not covered by the FA's insurers and his treatment and rehabilitation, is taking legal advice on the matter.

He told Newcastle's official website, www.nufc.co.uk: "I thank the Football Association for contacting me and notifying me of their view.

"However, while the club is still discussing this issue with our European legal team, we will be making no further comment at this stage."

The FA are one of the few national associations which takes out insurance for their players on international duty - Germany are understood to be the only other at the World Cup finals - with the bill thought to run to millions of pounds a year.

Under their cover, the salaries of injured players are taken care of, but only to a certain threshold and, with Owen earning £103,000 a week at St James' Park, the Magpies could find themselves out of pocket despite taking out their own insurance on the striker.

That, as well as the knowledge that his record signing is likely to be unavailable until the New Year as he battles his way back from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, has left Shepherd fuming.

Before being contacted by the FA this morning, he had been outspoken on the subject of newspaper reports on the alleged situation with Rooney.

"If reports are true that the Football Association paid to take out extra cover for Wayne Rooney above and beyond what they would do for other players during the World Cup finals, then I find that wrong.

"I make it quite clear this is not an issue with Manchester United, it's solely with the FA.

"If they were prepared to do that for one player, then they should have come out in the open and told the other clubs who have players representing England at the World Cup.

"The FA should not discriminate when it comes to things like this. It should be one rule for all players and all clubs.

"In this case, it is Newcastle United who now have to pick up the pieces.

"Michael is our record signing and he went to Germany as the leading goalscorer in the England squad, so we have every right to feel aggrieved that he returns to us injured and without adequate compensation paid to us.

"The World Cup generates millions of pounds in revenue for FIFA and the associations, and we should be adequately compensated.

"That's our position and we have today instructed our lawyers to take this forward."