Keegan keen to keep key men

Magpies manager plans summer signings

By Rob Parrish   Last updated: 11th April 2008

Kevin Keegan Newcastle United manager

Keegan: Confident

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Kevin Keegan remains confident all his star players will remain at St James' Park as he prepares for a summer of strengthening.

Strikers Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins have been regularly linked with moves away from the Magpies, but both are integral to the club's future plans.

Owen has scored in each of his last four games, while Martins has proved his worth as part of a three-pronged strikeforce alongside the England international and Mark Viduka.

And Keegan is confident they are all happy in the North East, and does not expect to be forced into the market for replacements.

Strengthening

He said: "There's no point strengthening your squad and then letting your best players go.

"None of those players have come and knocked on my door and said they want to leave so, until that happens, I will just assume they want to play for this club and fulfil their contracts because they are all enjoying it at the moment.

"I don't think you will find any of them coming in front of the cameras or in front of the press and saying it is not a good club to be at."

Keegan is determined to bring in more quality rather than quantity, once he has discussed his transfer targets with owner Mike Ashley.

Quality

He said: "I said all along, even before we got into this run of games and started to play the sort of football and get the sort of results a club like Newcastle should in the Premier League, we would be looking for four or five players.

"I honestly believe that's all we need. But those four of five players have to be top quality, they have to be absolutely top quality.

"Them maybe we can slot in a couple of youngsters who are what I would call maybes or wannabes just to build the squad up.

"Other than that, I don't see us bringing in 10 or 11 like they did at the start of this season."