Nufc reject Bid for Nolan

NEWCASTLE UNITED have turned down a bid for captain Kevin Nolan from West Ham United – according to sources in London’s East End.

The Toon captain was the subject of a £3m offer from the Hammers last night, with his former Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce keen to be reunited with Nolan at Upton Park as he looks to lead West Ham out of the Championship at the first attempt.

Yet if the failed United boss harbours any hopes of capturing Nolan he must up his bid for whom Newcastle paid £4m in January 2009.

Both Nolan and Allardyce – who is also understood to have an interest in Joey Barton – helped transform the Trotters from a Championship play-off outfit into European material until Big Sam’s departure in 2007.

Nolan recently rejected a new deal with the Magpies, but the paltry initial bid for the Scouser was always likely to be knocked back given the 28-year-old’s contributions this season which resulted in 12 goals – one more than England star Wayne Rooney.

Nolan will turn 29 this month but was a key figure in uniting the dressing room in the aftermath of relegation and is keen to remain on Tyneside to see out the peak years of his career.

Yet with United seemingly unwilling to have players in the 30 plus bracket on long contracts, it appears that Nolan’s hopes of a long-term deal are slim unless he is prepared to take a pay cut.


This was underlined by confirmation that Alan Smith will be allowed to leave on a free transfer this summer, while Barton has already been told there is no new contract offer on the table for him when his current deal runs out next summer.

But despite reports, when Big Sam was asked if he was interested in Smith, he simply replied: “No.”

Meanwhile, United seem set to miss out on one of their long-term targets in Lille star Eden Hazard – and the French champions today underlined their determination to hold on to Ivory Coast star Gervinho.

We confirmed on Monday that their Lille team-mate Yohan Cabaye will arrive on Tyneside by the end of the week.

The Chronicle understands that Newcastle scouted Hazard during the second half of the season and were blown away by what the 20-year-old Belgian had to offer, but his astronomical price tag of £21m would take up the majority of Alan Pardew’s transfer kitty.

And should Lille not succumb to offers from Arsenal and Bayern Munich, the exciting attacking midfielder knows that his current club can guarantee him Champions League football.

Gervinho – also linked with the Gunners and Liverpool – has kept his cards close to his chest.

And his manager Rudi Garcia said today: “Hazard should stay, for me. He will learn more and improve again.

“In an ideal world, Gervinho would do the same with a new contract as he has one year left.

“The chairman and I are of the same mind, we should keep the two.”

Hazard netted seven times last term and provided nine assists in 37 games, while Gervinho bagged 15 in 34 matches and made eight assists.

United are still waiting to hear if their bid for Neil Taylor of Swansea City has been accepted.

But one player the Magpies will not be moving for is out-of- contract Swede Seb Larsson, with Sunderland understood to be lining up the midfielder.

Sunderland also have a big interest in Charles N’Zogbia but, as we revealed on May 19, the Frenchman is keen to return to St James’ if the Mags can come to an agreement with Wigan.