Newcastle to insist on cash deal for Portsmouth target Faye

The chairman of Newcastle, Freddy Shepherd, has told his Portsmouth counterpart, Milan Mandaric, to put up the money if he wants to re-sign the Senegal international midfielder Amdy Faye.

It has been suggested that the new Pompey manager, Harry Redknapp, has put Faye close to the top of his shopping list as he attempts to rebuild for a Premiership survival campaign in January.

However, talk of a loan deal has been scotched by Shepherd, who insisted he would only consider a cash offer for a player who arrived on Tyneside from Fratton Park in January.

"If Portsmouth - or anyone else for that matter - want any of our players in January, then they will have to put their money on the table," he said.

The 28-year-old's chances of regular first-team football for Newcastle appear slim with summer signings Scott Parker and Emre Belozoglu likely to forge a regular central midfield partnership once the Turkish international returns from injury.

Faye will link up with Senegal for the African Cup of Nations next month and will be missing for several weeks. But with speculation mounting that Lee Bowyer could move from Tyneside during the transfer window, the club may be reluctant to offload too many players.

Nicky Butt, Laurent Robert, Hugo Viana and James Milner are all out on loan for the season and the Magpies are unlikely to want another of their players away from the club on a temporary basis.