FULHAM boss Chris Coleman last night slapped a £4m price tag on Luis Boa Morte and warned Graeme Souness he would not capture the winger on the cheap.
With just four days to go until the Newcastle squad return to pre-season training, former Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker is still the only player to have moved to St James' Park this summer.
Turkish midfielder Emre is expected to complete his transfer from Inter Milan later this week, but Souness is still hoping to make two or three more signings before Newcastle begin their Intertoto Cup campaign in 16 days time.
His priority remains his frontline, with Alan Shearer, Shola Ameobi and Michael Chopra currently the only recognised strikers on the club's books apart from the ostracised Craig Bellamy.
Ideally, Souness would like to sign two more centre-forwards ahead of the new campaign but, with his options shrinking by the day, the manager has accepted he may have to make do with at least one player who is versatile enough to push forward from a wide position.
That describes Boa Morte perfectly and, despite failing to land him in January, Souness is ready to mount a concerted campaign to secure his services.
The Scot thought he had signed the Portugal international at the turn of the year after holding face-to-face talks in a London hotel. Instead, the 27-year-old penned a new deal at Craven Cottage and helped Fulham mount a successful battle against relegation.
His long-term future remains far from certain and Newcastle officials are expected to make formal contact with their Fulham counterparts later today in an attempt to thrash out a deal.
Coleman continues to claim that Boa Morte is going nowhere this summer but sources in London suggest he has already conceded he is likely to lose one of his biggest assets.
While Coleman accepts he may struggle to hold on to the winger, he is adamant he will not allow him to leave for a reduced fee.
Fulham's board have warned all prospective suitors they will have to come up with £4m if they are to sign Boa Morte and, with the Magpies still struggling to sell both Bellamy and Hugo Viana, Souness is reluctant to stretch that far.
Newcastle's coffers remain relatively bare given Bellamy's intransigence and a lack of interest in either Lee Bowyer or Nicky Butt but they continue to be swelled by the uncontrolled outbursts of Laurent Robert. The flamboyant Frenchman was yesterday fine two weeks' wages for the second day in a row following another tirade against both the club and Souness.
Robert, who joined Portsmouth last month but remains a Newcastle player until tomorrow, claimed Jermaine Jenas would be leaving Tyneside this summer after growing disillusioned at his lack of first-team football in the latter stages of last season.
"I have seen Jermaine Jenas growing up at Newcastle and he is a brilliant player who could become the new Patrick Vieira," said Robert.
"But I know just how badly he took to being put on the bench last season. Now he is at a turning point in his career and I think he will leave."
Robert has now been fined four weeks' wages - believed to be around £140,000 - and Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has warned the winger that still might not be the end of the matter.
"He was warned not to do it and he must suffer the consequences," said Shepherd. "We have also reported him to the Football Association and we are seeking guidance from them on any further action they may wish to take."
* Newcastle have formed an alliance with the city's women's football team.
After winning promotion last month, Newcastle's women's team will compete as Newcastle United Women's Football Club in their inaugural season in the FA Women's Premier League.
Rob Atkin, football development officer for Newcastle City Council, said: "For five years we have been promoting opportunities for girls and women's football and the playing standards are now at a very high level. The link with Newcastle United will give all young players in the region something they can aspire to."
* Players' union boss Gordon Taylor has warned of a potential ''farce'' next season if footballers continue to face the threat of court action for their conduct on the pitch.
Taylor is concerned by the case of Lee Bowyer, who has been summoned to appear before magistrates in Newcastle to face an allegation under the Public Order Act following an on-pitch incident with team-mate Kieron Dyer in April.
Bowyer has yet to appear in court while his legal team are still planning a High Court judicial review of the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to take action against the midfielder.
Taylor fears Bowyer could suffer from ''triple jeopardy", in that he was fined £228,000 by Newcastle and hit with a seven-match ban and a £30,000 fine by the Football Association before the CPS intervened.
He is concerned police and the courts will become increasingly involved in on-pitch incidents next season, rather than leaving matters to the football authorities.
''If every incident on the pitch leads to a charge that would lead to a farce and block up all legal proceedings,'' said Taylor, the PFA chief executive."
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