Newcastle refuse to increase bid for Anelka's services
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Your support makes all the difference.The Newcastle manager Graeme Souness expressed an interest in attracting the Frenchman to St James' Park last week, but the Magpies' initial bid fell short of the required amount. Now the deal has reached deadlock, with the club's chairman Freddy Shepherd insisting he is not in the mood to seek a compromise to secure the former Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City player. He is also set to end a move for the Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte after the Londoners rejected a Newcastle bid last week.
Shepherd said: "In the past, perhaps we have been willing to bring in a player at any cost but we are not going to be anybody's mugs any more. They [the bids] are certainly not derisory and we won't be budging. If the clubs in question decide to pick the bids up, then great. If not, then we will move on. If we don't get them, Graeme and the scouts will identify different players and we will move for them."
Newcastle have already spent £11m this summer on the new signings Scott Parker and Emre, but Souness wants at least three more players before the Premiership season starts.
Shepherd added that he was still in negotiations over the possible signing of the former Rangers defender Craig Moore, who is a free agent after being released by Borussia Mönchengladbach and is believed to be holding out for a better deal from the club.
"He has indicated he wants to come to Newcastle, but we have got to have a deal that suits both parties and talks are ongoing," Shepherd said.
The Sunderland midfielder Colin Healy has suffered another setback as he looks to return from a second broken leg.
The 24-year-old, who has not played for the Black Cats since breaking his leg for the first time against Coventry City in 2003, has had to undergo surgery on his knee.
Healy is now facing another three months on the sidelines - a further blow to the Irishman, who was aiming to make a comeback after breaking the same leg during training 10 months ago.
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