THE Fabricio Coloccini saga will rumble on after an initial round of talks between the Newcastle skipper’s lawyers and United officials failed to broker a resolution.

United still hope that Coloccini will be part of the Newcastle back line that travels to Villa Park a week today but the summit talks scheduled yesterday will resume this morning, with both sides seemingly digging their heels in.

Boss Alan Pardew, who is hoping for good news on three signings this week, was not present at the talks – which took place against the backdrop of bullish noises from Argentina, where San Lorenzo are said to be optimistic that he will move back home.

The club went into lock-down last night and seem set to hold off making any public comment until the player’s future is cut and dried.

United are refusing to countenance the loss of their skipper but certainly not on the terms that the Argentinian side have proposed publicly.

That is to cancel Coloccini’s contract to allow him to sign for them. The club issued no comment after the talks other to confirm that no resolution had been reached.

Senior sources said they expect a more concrete decision over the next few days, with Pardew having drawn up an emergency plan for what will happen if he loses his captain.

United hope that will involve Mapou Yanga-Mbwia, the France international that they have agreed a £6.7million deal for.

He was due to be on Tyneside for a medical ahead of signing for United but did not arrive as scheduled. The club

insisted that they still expected him to complete the move, with transport problems related to the weather understood to have held up his arrival.

Supporters were nervous though – with just cause after the way the last couple of weeks have played out.

The slight delay in the Yanga-Mbwia transfer inevitably throws up comparisons with the Loic Remy transfer, which saw Newcastle pipped at the post by Harry Redknapp and Queens Park Rangers.

Those fears were deepened by the fact that Arsenal were alerted to the player’s availability by Saturday morning’s reports of a fee being agreed.