O’Brien unruffled by Villa transfer rumours

Damian Spellman

The midlands club expressed an interest in the Republic of Ireland international after Jean-Alain Boumsong and Celestine Babayaro signed at St James' Park.

Both were drafted into the starting line-up for Sunday's 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory over non-league Yeading but uncertainty surrounds the future of other defenders at the club.

Reports suggest Titus Bramble, Olivier Bernard and Aaron Hughes could be offered as possible make-weights for new signings, but O'Brien is only concentrating on turning the Magpies' season around.

"I'm paid by Newcastle United to give my best for the club and as long as I'm contracted to them I will always give 100%," said the 25-year-old, a £1m signing from Bradford.

"Of course some of the stories are worrying and, yes, it has been an unsettling time," he said.

"But nobody at the club has said anything to me about my future and I intend to sit tight until I hear something concrete.

"Players are linked with other clubs right, left and centre at this time of the year and I suppose it's just my turn. I'm aware of what the manager is trying to do and it is well known he has wanted to bring in defenders for some time now.

"As far as my own future is concerned, I take the stories with a pinch of salt."

O'Brien returned to action as a half-time replacement for Bramble at Loftus Road on Sunday, but has also played at right-back this season in the absence of the injured Stephen Carr. With Boumsong ineligible in Europe after already playing for Rangers in the UEFA Cup, his future on Tyneside could yet depend on attempts to recruit either Manchester City's Sylvain Distin or Bayern Munich's Sammy Kuffour. But the centre-back has FA Cup glory is his sights after favourable home draw against Coventry in the fourth round. "I'm looking forward to a cup run," O'Brien said.

"Our league position could be better at the moment and the FA Cup is an avenue towards getting into Europe.

"That's where we want to be. Short-term, we want to be involved in as many competitions as possible."

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich defender Sammy Kuffour is ready to talk to Newcastle as they attempt to further rebuild their under-fire defence.

The 28-year-old Ghanaian international's agent Fabio Parisi was on Tyneside yesterday for preliminary discussions.

No formal talks have taken place, but it appears the player, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season, is prepared to hear what the Magpies have to say.

"Still nothing has been decided by Newcastle, but we expect to hear a decision from them within the next couple of days," Parisi told PA International.

Newcastle still have their sights set on Manchester City's Sylvain Distin, but having seen their £5m bid formally rejected on Friday, are looking at alternatives. Kuffour is thought to be available for around £500,000 and is keen to try a new challenge, although the Barclays Premiership is not his only option, according to Parisi.

"He is out of contract at the end of the season and he wants to try a new experience," he said.

Kuffour, also a target for Liverpool in the past, is currently away on Bayern's winter break in Dubai, but has been kept fully informed and is due to return to Germany on Friday.

Whether or not he ends up at St James' Park could depend largely on City's resolve to hang on to Distin.

Manager Kevin Keegan's valuation of the Frenchman is significantly higher than that of Newcastle where he played on loan from Paris St Germain before joining City in the summer of 2002.