Newcastle United: Newcastle

Newcastle defender Olivier Bernard has admitted he may have to consider a future away from St James' Park if talks over a new contract are unsuccessful.

The 24-year-old Frenchman, who almost left United for West Ham two summers ago, has a year of his current deal still to run, but despite 12 months of discussions, he insists nothing has materialised.

Bernard, who has established himself as a fixture in Sir Bobby Robson's side over the last two seasons after developing into a genuine top-flight defender, is desperate to stay on Tyneside, but is concerned he may have to look elsewhere if nothing happens soon.

Patrick Kluivert has made a move to Newcastle his "first choice", according to his agent.

The 28-year-old Dutch international, who has been released by Barcelona, has been a long-term target for the Magpies, who are attempting to find a replacement for skipper Alan Shearer when his current deal expires at the end of the new campaign.

Contact between the two parties has been made and Kluivert's agent Paul Foortse revealed that St James' Park remains the preferred destination for a man who has made no secret of his desire to play in the Barclays Premiership one day.

You have all this crap about Shearer wanting to leave. I can't see him going anywhere. It's his last season and he is still a great player.

Shearer is still quality yeah your right.

I can't see him nolt being first choice with bellamy out yet again. Bellamy always seems toi be injured and it's looking like he could be another Darren Anderton. He showed lots of promise but was always injured.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has moved to defuse a brewing row over the future of skipper Alan Shearer.

The 33-year-old striker on Thursday clarified comments suggesting that he would have to consider leaving St James' Park if he was told he would not be a regular in his final season, and manager Sir Bobby Robson refused to answer questions over those remarks in a press conference in Hong Kong.

However, Shepherd has insisted that Shearer is going nowhere and even expressed his delight that a man who has achieved so much in his career wants to play in every game he can as he prepares for retirement.

Shearer wont go anywhere and even if Kluivert does come in Shearer will still be starting most games. This will be the result of Bellamy being injured for 3 quarters of the season, so I don't think anyone will have anything to worry about.

Craig Bellamy returns to action with Newcastle on Wednesday after recovering from his latest knee problem. The Wales striker has been included in an 18-man squad for the friendly at Ipswich after missing the Magpies' pre-season tour of the Far East.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has confirmed that next season will be Sir Bobby Robson's last at the club as he will not be extending his current contract.

Newcastle defender Olivier Bernard has threatened to walk out of the club in January if he has not signed a new contract.

The 24-year-old Frenchman, one of the successes of last season, is out of contract next summer and insists he has not been offered a new one despite claims to the contrary by the club.

He is vowing to leave, as he almost did two summers ago when he was set to join West Ham before Newcastle took the case to a tribunal and won, if matters are not resolved soon.

Newcastle have put the controversy over the future of Sir Bobby Robson behind them by clinching the signing of one of the hottest properties in French football.

Just days after it was confirmed that Robson will not be manager at St James' Park beyond next season, the Magpies captured 18-year-old Charles N'Zogbia from Le Havre, beating off competition from a number of other European clubs.

The left-sided midfielder has been training on Tyneside for the last few weeks, but United have kept his presence quiet and finally managed to push through a deal which will see them pay compensation to his current employers.

And the reaction within the club on Tuesday suggested that they believe they have got their hands on a genuine talent who could be playing Barclays Premiership football before too long.

Newcastle's pre-season preparations are being hindered by a highly-contagious eye infection.

The club returned from the friendly loss at Celtic with four players missing with viral conjunctivitis.

The club shut down their Darsley Park training ground after Shay Given, Andy O'Brien, Lee Bowyer and Tony Caig contracted the virus.