AN emotional Patrick Kluivert has revealed he is 'desperate' to extend his stay on Tyneside beyond the summer.

The 28-year-old striker was believed to have signed a three-year contract when he joined Newcastle on a free transfer from Barcelona in August.

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness and chairman Freddy Shepherd have since revealed the deal was in fact one-year, with the option to extend it for a further two should things go well.

Niggling injuries, inconsistency and fleeting flashes of brilliance, however, have so far been the story of Kluivert's spell at St James' Park and, it seems the United hierarchy are reluctant to give the classy forward more time to pick up the pace of a fast and furious Premiership.

"I want to stay at Newcastle," admitted Kluivert, who came off the bench for the last five minutes of United's 1-1 draw against Portsmouth.

"I am desperate to stay here because I am enjoying my football and I'm very happy, on and off the pitch."

Ten Newcastle players jetted off after Saturday's draw at Portsmouth to join up with their national squads ahead of next week's World Cup qualifiers. The Dutchman, however, was not one of them.

His name was once again missing from the Holand squad for their double header against Romania and Armenia.

"Holland is not important for me," revealed Kluivert. "All I care about is Newcastle United and doing well for Newcastle.

"As far as Holland goes, I don't think about the fact I've not been called up. All I can do is play well for Newcastle, that is my objective."

Kluivert missed United's comprehensive UEFA Cup victory over Olympiacos on Wednesday following a knee injury picked in his FA Cup match-winning performance against Tottenham four days earlier.

And the Dutch national side's record goalscorer admitted no one has been more frustrated about this than him.

"I keep finding some good form and then I pick up a little injury which keeps me out for a couple of matches," he said.

"It is stop-start the whole time, which does not help me or the team. The most important thing for me at the moment is to prove my fitness and play as many games as I can between now and the end of the season."

The former Barcelona striker hopes then his Newcastle contract will be resolved. In the meantime he wants to concentrate on lifting the FA Cup, after admitting he has fallen in love with the competition.

"All I can say is that I want to stay," he confessed. "We will talk about it at the end of the season and everything will be decided then.

"There are too many big games ahead of us to be worrying about contracts. It helps that I have scored some important goals and the team has had some good results, that makes it easier to enjoy your football.

"Things are going well for me and the team and that is good. The FA Cup is very special and I have fallen in love with it.

"I've scored some important goals in the competition and I'm very pleased to have done so, but the UEFA Cup is also special and it is also important to us."

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.