Offers are made for Coloccini and Martins

Jul 4 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

However, it remains to be seen if any of the trio have matched Ashley’s £100m asking price with sources indicating yesterday that, because of the perilous state of United’s finances following relegation, the asking price was thought to be around £20m too high.

Ashley has been keen to engineer a bidding war ever since he publicly declared the club was up for sale, and it seems news of a Malaysian group’s visit to St James’s Park could have been deliberately leaked to show the other serious bidders they have competition.

As well as representatives of that mystery Far East consortium, members of an American-based group have also been given a guided tour of St James’s Park and the training ground in Benton.

None of the groups, however, have been in contact with manager-in-waiting Alan Shearer, who is as frustrated as anyone by the continued state of limbo.

A source close to Shearer said: “Alan is waiting like everyone else.

“Things appear to be moving along in the right direction and hopefully something will emerge over the weekend.”

Meanwhile, after Michael Owen completed a free transfer to Manchester United yesterday following a medical, newly-promoted Birmingham City are interested in signing Joey Barton on a season’s loan with a view to a permanent deal.

Barton is another United player who has claimed he wants to stay at Newcastle, but he is not wanted by fans who feel the midfielder has let them down once too often during his two years on Tyneside.

Newcastle would prefer to sell the player, but Birmingham are reluctant to take on a player who earns more than £60,000-a-week in their first season back in the top flight.