Newcastle’s door remains shut for rebel Bellamy

NEWCASTLE have no intention of easing their efforts to offload striker Craig Bellamy after dismissing suggestions that they could be ready to welcome him back to St James’ Park.

The Magpies refused to comment yesterday on reports that they have given long-term pursuers Everton permission to talk to the 24-year-old, who is currently on holiday in Mallorca after the end of his loan spell at Celtic.

However, despite suggestions that Bellamy could return to Tyneside, which were began after chairman Freddy Shepherd confirmed that the decision on whether or not he could ever play for the club again would lie with manager Graeme Souness, they moved yesterday to insist that their position has not changed.

Souness was adamant after the Welshman’s television outburst on him that he could never play for him again, and although Shepherd’s view is perhaps marginally less rigid, he is firmly behind his manager.

One player who would, however, be welcome back at St James’ is midfielder Lee Bowyer with the recent furore surrounding his future causing a major stir around the country, but not particularly on Tyneside.

Birmingham fans have bickered with each other over their club’s on-off bid to sign the 28-year-old and it remains to be seen whether the former England international will reconsider his decision to halt talks following a campaign to stop him signing.

However, the fact is that while Newcastle were prepared to allow him to talk to City even though the clubs had not agreed a fee, he was not and is not a player they are particularly looking to sell.

Indeed, Souness has spoken of his desire for Bowyer to remain at St James’ Park, although he is aware both of the understandable attraction of a fresh start and his club’s need to cut the wage bill as they attempt to land their latest targets.

“Things are still the same as far as Lee Bowyer goes,” said Shepherd. “There have been no developments over the weekend, and no deal has been agreed with Birmingham City or any other club who have expressed an interest in signing Lee.

“We gave Birmingham permission to speak to Lee last week, and that is as far as it has gone.”

While much of the talk in recent days has surrounded outgoing players - Newcastle remain hopeful of selling Hugo Viana with Porto now leading the way - there has been plenty of speculation over Souness’ remaining targets.

The Scot has once again been linked with Crystal Palace’s want-away striker Andy Johnson as he attempts to replace Bellamy and Patrick Kluivert, although he has never been high on the list and his primary targets are elsewhere, although with little movement so far on that front, he may yet have to consider his alternatives.

Scott Parker’s arrival - the 24-year-old may sit out the club’s first Intertoto Cup tie after being signed a week after the deadline for player registrations despite a provision which would allow him to be included - has not ended Souness’ search for midfielders and he remains firmly on the trail of Inter Milan’s Turkish international Belozoglu Emre.

Emre, who is also a target for Everton, is on holiday until later this week and will return to survey a series of options including, according to his agent Ahmet Bulut, five other Premiership clubs, although his wage demands, thought to be in excess of £60,000 a week, could prove a problem.

That too could be the case with Real Madrid’s Portuguese star Luis Figo, who is understood to be available on a free transfer five years after heading for the Bernabeu from Barcelona in a then world record £37million move.

The Magpies have opened talks with the 32-year-old’s representatives and done much of the groundwork, but although there is an interest on both sides, the player’s annual salary of more than £4m would be a huge outlay, especially after the disappointing return they club got for its investment on a similar basis in Kluivert last season.

In addition, Newcastle are only one of several clubs to have spoken to Figo.

Meanwhile, fears that last season’s desperate Premiership showing could affect season tickets sales has proved largely unfounded.

Newcastle slumped to 14th in the league table at the end of last season after three years in the top five, but the predicted fall-off in renewals did not materialise.

By last Monday’s deadline, around 90% of season ticket holders - some 37,000 - had renewed, and while that was around 3,000 down on last season’s total, that is not many more than are normally lost as a result of natural wastage.