ANDY O'Brien has insisted that he remains committed to Newcastle United, despite Aston Villa boss David O'Leary making a £2m bid for his services.

O'Leary is understood to have made an official offer for the centre-half last weekend but, while United have rebuffed the Irishman's initial approach, the situation could change if the Magpies make further defensive re-inforcements of their own this month.

Graeme Souness is adamant that no-one will be leaving Tyneside until his own spending spree is complete.

The United boss has seen Manchester City turn down a £5m bid for Sylvain Distin and, with Kevin Keegan maintaining that his skipper will be going nowhere, the Scot is stepping up his attempts to sign Bayern Munich defender Samuel Kuffour.

The arrival of either could signal the end of the line for O'Brien, with Souness preferring both Titus Bramble and Aaron Hughes as cover for a remodelled centre-half partnership that will include £8m man Jean-Alain Boumsong.

O'Brien has made 155 appearances since joining Newcastle in March 2001, but only four of those have come since the start of December as Souness has gradually squeezed him out of his first-team plans.

His latest outing came as a second-half substitute in Sunday's 2-0 win over Yeading, with Souness turning to O'Brien after Bramble endured a torrid first half against the part-timers.

The constant speculation is beginning to prove unsettling but O'Brien is adamant that, while he remains a Newcastle player, he will not allow the prospect of a move to affect his performance.

"There has been so much talk about my future as a Newcastle player that it was just good to get out there against Yeading," said the Republic of Ireland international.

"I'm paid by Newcastle United to give my best for the club and, as long as I'm contracted to them, I will always give 100 per cent.

"Of course some of the stories are worrying and yes, it has been an unsettling time. But nobody at the club has said anything to me about my future and I intend to sit tight until I hear something concrete.

"Players are linked with other clubs left, right and centre at this time of the year and I suppose it's just my turn.

"I'm aware of what the manager is trying to do and it is well known he has wanted to bring in defenders for some time now.

"As far as my own future is concerned, I take the stories with a pinch of salt."

O'Brien could yet stay at St James' Park if Newcastle fail to land either of their defensive targets in the next three weeks.

Former Magpie Distin remains their number one priority, although Manchester City are holding out for £7.5m in return for their club captain.

The French defender is under contract until 2008 and, despite watching his side crash out of the FA Cup at the hands of lowly Oldham, Keegan remains bullish about his chances of keeping Distin at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"Newcastle cannot afford to sign Distin and we cannot afford to sell him," said Keegan, who could yet be interested in a cash-plus-player deal that could include Laurent Robert.

If United make no progress in the next seven days, they will turn their attentions towards Ghana international Kuffour.

The 28-year-old is currently in Dubai with the rest of his Bayern Munich team-mates as they are put through their paces in a mid-winter training camp.

With Kuffour out of contract at the end of the season, Bayern would find it difficult to turn down any seven-figure bid for his services.

The German club last night confirmed that no official approach had been made but, with defender Thomas Linke also out of contract in May, coach Felix Magath admitted they would be looking to sell one or the other this month.

"We will let just one of the centre-backs go," he said. "Either Kuffour or Linke."

Meanwhile, United officials are hopeful of completing the signature of Fulham winger Luis Boa Morte by the end of the week.

The Magpies held a preliminary meeting to discuss the Portuguese international's future while they were in London this weekend.

And, while Fulham boss Chris Coleman continues to put on a brave face in public, sources in the capital suggest he has privately conceded that Boa Morte will be heading for St James' Park in the next seven days