NEWCASTLE United will hold a meeting with skipper Fabricio Coloccini today to thrash out a solution to keep him on Tyneside.
Stung by the Loïc Rémy snub, United are ready to move on to other striking targets while maintaining their interest in Moussa Sissoko. But Coloccini’s future is now at the top of the black-and-white agenda for Alan Pardew, who is desperate to persuade his captain to stay until at least the end of the season.
Reports in Argentina raised the possibility of his contract being cancelled, but United are highly unlikely to agree to that. In Argentina, San Lorenzo chiefs Matthias Lammens, Marcelo Tinelli and Coloccini’s agent Marcelo Lombillla met to talk about the deal but the fact remains they cannot afford to put one together.
With Newcastle in such a strong position, they will ask Coloccini what they can do to keep him until at least the end of this season.
They will hope to dovetail good news on Coloccini (pictured above) with positive news on the striker front before the end of January.
Rémy’s decision to go to QPR has left Newcastle furious, especially after it emerged that his advisers had requested a medical in London without informing United he planned to talk to Harry Redknapp’s side.
Newcastle were happy to grant that request because much of their business can be conducted in the capital – and had been told all along by the player and his advisers that he favoured the Magpies over QPR.
That was proved to be false and Rémy has signed a four-and-a-half year deal worth £80,000 a week to spearhead Redknapp’s side as they look to stage a great escape from relegation. United have other targets, with St Etienne’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang understood to be one alternative. They have an interest in Swansea’s Danny Graham as well, who has a backer in boss Alan Pardew.
The former Carlisle man would jump at the chance to join Newcastle, although rivals Sunderland are also interested.
Aubameyang, meanwhile, says that he is going to wait until the summer to make a decision on his future. “I say it again, I am not thinking about leaving,” the striker said.
“I have a lot of interest, but the best solution is to stay at St Etienne and leave in the summer. These will be my last six months with St Etienne. Then, I don’t know. It is nice to already have offers from England and I hope to leave for a club that will allow me to keep improving.
“There could be a surprise, but I am not planning on staying in France.”
Reports in France have claimed United have had a £1.5m bid knocked back for Florian Thauvin – which included an option to loan him back to Bastia for six months. United have also tabled a £2m bid for Massadio Haidara, the France Under-21 left-back.
MARK DOUGLAS
