NUFC Transfer Rumours

[kennethlindheim]

Newcastle are backing Sunderland to beat Derby County in the race for the Premiership - so they can land Rams' starlet Giles Barnes.

Teenager Barnes will leave Pride Park for the top flight if Derby do not go up automatically or from the play-offs.

And in that event, a source inside the Derby dressing room has told the Sunday Sun that Barnes is expecting to move to St James's Park.

United are already confident, as we revealed in early March, of landing Reading's Steve Sidwell on a free transfer.

But the signing of 18-year-old Barnes would command a significant slice of the Magpies' transfer budget, and represent an even bigger coup.

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has admitted his interest in Barnes, but Spurs had been thought to be the player's likely destination.

United are on the trail of Nancy defender Pape Diakhate, while Spanish sources are linking them with Real Madrid's Lilian Thuram, although a move for the French veteran would go against Roeder's youth-oriented recruitment drive.

Diakhate, the highly-rated Senegal international, has been told he can leave Nancy for a bigger club at the end of the season.

icNewcastle - United in for Barnes

[Morrison]

Originally Posted by kennethlindheim

icNewcastle - United in for Barnes

"But the signing of 18-year-old Barnes would command a significant slice of the Magpies' transfer budget"

Not worth to spend so much for a 18-year old midfielder when NUFC need reinforcement in the defence and a striker (Benni! )!!

[kennethlindheim]

Barnes is decent, but we have to use the money on some much-needed experience in the back rather then another young midfielder.

[kennethlindheim]

New Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is reportedly chasing Wigan full-back Leighton Baines.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Allardyce wants to sign the England Under-21 left back as the first step towards rebuilding a back line that has leaked goals.

Allardyce's predecessor at St James' Park Glenn Roeder also tried to sign Baines, but the lure of some more stability in the north-east could tempt the full-back to leave the JJB Stadium.

Allardyce is also thought to want former Bolton centre-half Tal Ben Haim, although faces hefty competition from Chelsea and Portsmouth for the Israeli defender.

BIG SAM CHASING BAINES | News, Fixtures, Results, Match Reports, Stats

I would be happy with this signing.

[Oliver_Kahn]

What positions do you need to improve the most ?

[LAF]

Where do you start. For Newcastle to get anywhere near where they want to be they'll need about 8 new players.

Only Given, Martins, Parker would get in a top 6 team.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

They have to start with the defense...

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by LAF

Where do you start. For Newcastle to get anywhere near where they want to be they'll need about 8 new players.

Only Given, Martins, Parker would get in a top 6 team.

That's why I said "improve the most"

Allardyce likes to play in a 4-4-2 I think, so he'll probably choose 3 or 4 players that he considers to be key players, the likes of Martins or Parker and build the team around them. I know he did a good job at Bolton, so I expect him to do the same at St James Park.

[kennethlindheim]

We need a left back and two centre backs more than anything. We need also a defender which is capable to play everywhere in defense.

We should go for Baines, Campbell, Ben Haim and a cheap, decent player who can play fullback and centre back. This player must be a true pro that accept a place on the bench.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Allardyce played 4-5-1 with Bolton...

[Oliver_Kahn]

I guess he'll change the tactics then, or Martins would have to be benched as he isn't good as lone striker IMO.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

With today's strikers at Newcastle they need to play 2 up front.

[kennethlindheim]

Newcastle has always been a 4-4-2 team. And I hope and think that will remain.

[kennethlindheim]

Juventus are planning to test Sam Allardyce's resolve to keep Obafemi Martins at St James's Park after picking out the controversial Nigerian as the ideal man to spearhead their return to Serie A.

The Bianconeri's promotion to the Italian top flight was confirmed at the weekend and, although the Serie B season will not end until next month, manager Didier Deschamps has already drawn up a detailed list of summer targets.

Martins is among the players the Juve boss has earmarked for prospective transfers to Turin, along with the Liverpool midfielders Xabi Alonso and Mohamed Sissoko and Ajax's Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

And although Allardyce suggested he would be reluctant to lose the troubled 22-year-old on his appointment as Glenn Roeder's successor last week, the situation could change should Deschamps firm up his interest with the bid that Italian sources insist is imminent.

The Newcastle boss will have monitored events at Watford nine days ago with interest and, while he has claimed the club's players will all start with a clean slate under his rule, a manager renowned as a strict disciplinarian cannot have been impressed with the attacker's actions.

In declaring himself unfit for United's final Premiership fixture with a knee problem the Magpies' medical staff could not detect, Martins cast his future in the North-East into doubt.

Having long admired a player whose reputation remains intact in Italian football, Juventus are preparing to offer both parties an exit strategy, while Valencia are also understood to be keeping tabs on an uncertain situation. Should a figure approaching the £10m Roeder paid Inter Milan for the African last summer be offered, it would be no surprise were a deal to be struck and Martins were to join Jean-Alain Boumsong on the Italian club's books.

Although he scored 17 times in his maiden season in United colours, Martins remains an enigmatic character whose attitude has been called into question on numerous occasions. And although the striker completed the campaign as the club's leading marksman, Allardyce will be more concerned about keeping Michael Owen at St James's Park. Positive talks between the pair have been held in recent days.

Cashing in on Martins would aid the 52-year-old's summer rebuilding programme. Allardyce is determined to strengthen a deficient defence and a manager keen to lure Tal Ben Haim from Bolton is also understood to be plotting a move for Wigan's Leighton Baines.

icNewcastle - Juventus in move for Martins

Give us more then 15m and you will have him.
Also I think the chances of Martins going to Juventus are bigger then going to Valencia.
He has played and grown in Italy and knows everything about the Italian league.
I dont want to lose Oba but if his desire is to leave then we cant do anything about it.
Ultimately I want/hope that he stays.

[kennethlindheim]

Newcastle United could make Wigan left-back Leighton Baines the first signing of a cash-laden era at St James' Park.

The 22-year-old Merseysider is thought to be high on the Toon shopping list, with the defender keen on progressing his career on the bigger stage.

And should sports tycoon Mike Ashley be successful in h