NEWCASTLE UNITED have joined the race to sign Spanish striker Fernando Morientes but have blocked an attempt from Southampton to take Shola Ameobi on loan.

It has emerged the Magpies have made their interest in Morientes known to Real Madrid and there looks sure to be a three-way fight for the player's services in January.

Liverpool, who have already had a £3.5m bid turned down, and Monaco are also both looking to acquire his services but Real are demanding a fee of more than £7m.

Morientes' valuation is unlikely to be met by Liverpool but manager Rafael Benitez remains keen on taking him to Anfield, although he also has the option of moving for Manchester City's Nicolas Anelka.

But it is Newcastle's move for the player that has come as a surprise, with the necessity more for new faces in defence than up front.

St James' Park boss Graeme Souness has given chairman Freddy Shepherd a number of names to work on during the month-long transfer window, with Rangers' Jean-Alain Boumsong just one of a number of centre-backs being targeted.

However, Souness clearly has eyes on a new forward too and Morientes, frustrated with life at the Bernabeu where he is fourth choice behind Ronaldo, Michael Owen and Raul, is seeking a switch to the Premiership.

With Alan Shearer, who was yesterday ruled out of the Christmas period through injury, due to retire at the end of the season and Patrick Kluivert seemingly on the departure list, the Newcastle manager has decided to strengthen in attack as well as at the back.

And Morientes appears to be Souness' first port of call as he looks to find the firepower that will push Newcastle back into the top six this season and beyond in following years.

The news that Newcastle are searching for a new forward came as Ameobi claimed he feels he has done enough to stay in the starting line-up.

Southampton boss Harry Redknapp is understood to have made a tentative inquiry about the possibility of signing Ameobi on loan but was told to forget it.

The 23-year-old has had his chance, with injuries restricting Kluivert, Craig Bellamy and Shearer, and he has started the last three matches.

But Ameobi has failed to find the net in any of those and they have been the last three games of a run of just two wins in ten.

"It's up to me to force my way into the side. The better I do, the harder the decision is going to be for the manager," he said.

"It's been tough for me this season. I haven't been playing very much and I also had the injury earlier this year that really set me back. I need to do all I can to get my place in the team and, last week, I thought I did all I could to do that."

Newcastle travel to Blackburn on Boxing Day and then welcome Arsenal to St James Park three days later. Ameobi knows points are needed urgently to push the club back up the table.

"The Christmas period is always tough. We've got Blackburn, Arsenal and Birmingham in a very short space of time and that's a tough schedule," he said.

"But we'll be going in there knowing we need to turn the league form around. It hasn't been the best of late, so we'll be going to Blackburn knowing we need to start winning games.

"Football's all about results and, if you're not getting them, you're going to slip down the table.

"We have confidence in our ability and confidence in the team, and we know we can come out of this. We're concerned about things, but we know we can quickly start going the other way if we get some points on the table."

Ameobi could get his chance this weekend after Newcastle confirmed yesterday that Shearer, who has missed the last five games with a thigh problem, will be out for another two weeks at least.

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