Kinnear keen to keep stars

Newcastle boss will not let big guns depart in January

By Elliot Ball   Last updated: 13th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kinnear keen to keep stars

Kinnear: No sale policy

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Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear is even more determined to hang on to his best players as a new injury crisis grips the club.

The 62-year-old has spent the fortnight since the January transfer window opened fending off speculation that the likes of Michael Owen, Shay Given, Charles N'Zogbia, Joey Barton and Alan Smith could be sold.

Kinnear heads into Wednesday's FA Cup third-round replay with Hull with 11 key men confined to the treatment room and the Toon boss is even more insistent that there will be no high-profile departures from St James' Park this month.

The former Wimbledon manager also revealed the club is in advanced discussions with two unidentified players - one Italian and the other Argentinian - over loan deals.

Asked about the rumours surrounding Given, Barton and N'Zogbia, he said: "None of those (will leave), no. That's been ongoing for ages.

Impossible

"We are just in a position where we have got 11 key players missing, so it is impossible for me to even think about selling anybody else.

"We would only weaken our team and weaken our opportunities of survival."

The Magpies boss, however, did admit he could be prepared to allow some of his fringe players to leave, allowing him to make a move on one of his own targets.

Kinnear said: "We have got a meeting this evening to talk about the situation and how far down the road we are.

"We have got one or two fringe players who we have had offers for, reasonable offers, so I might consider letting them go, and if that money does come in - which will amount to about £4.5million - from them, I will be in a position to get the player I want."

Kinnear hopes to sign up Denmark international winger Peter Lovenkrands, who began a trial on Tyneside on Monday, until the end of the season on Friday, while he confirmed substantial loan fees have been agreed for two overseas players.

Experience

He said: "They are international players. One is Italian, the other is Argentinian.

"The fact is that they are not actually playing in their current sides. They are fringe players, but they have got a lot of experience, which we need at the moment.

"We have had some positive vibes from their agents that they are keen to come and join us.

"But they are expensive and we have just got to sort out the finances."

Kinnear admitted as the winter window opened that he hopes to recruit as many as four or five new players, and events since have simply increased his needs.

Andy Carroll, Obafemi Martins, Shola Ameobi, Mark Viduka, Smith, Barton, Steven Taylor, Habib Beye, Claudio Cacapa, Jose Enrique and Geremi will all miss Wednesday's game.

When asked if even more players than first thought could arrive in the coming weeks, Kinnear said: "That's a possibility because of the crisis we find ourselves in now - and I think it is a must as well.

"I have explained that to the owner and to the managing director and to be honest, fingers crossed, I am hoping, without tempting fate, the answer will be 'Yes'."