ALAN Shearer last night claimed that signing Wayne Rooney would represent a "major coup" for Newcastle, despite Everton turning down the club's latest offer for the England star.

United chiefs tabled a £23.5m offer for Rooney on Wednesday afternoon after learning that Manchester United were preparing to match their original £20m bid for the striker.

But the Everton board have rejected both offers out of hand despite earlier admitting that they could struggle to keep Rooney at Goodison Park.

"Newcastle United have submitted an increased offer for Wayne Rooney," said Everton's head of public relations Ian Ross. "One which has been turned down. The bid submitted by Manchester United has also been rejected."

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright now maintains that the final decision will be left to boss David Moyes but, with Sir Alex Ferguson desperate to sign another striker before the transfer window closes, the clever money is on Rooney being a Manchester United player by the time Everton travel to Old Trafford on Monday.

That will come as good news to Craig Bellamy and Shola Ameobi - both of whom have pledged to consider their position if Rooney moves to St James' Park - but it will be a major disappointment to a third Newcastle striker, Shearer.

The United skipper would find his place under threat if England's latest hero moved to Tyneside but, after turning down Manchester United himself in the past, he would love to be welcoming Rooney to the Newcastle dressing room next month.

"It would be fantastic to sign Wayne Rooney," said Shearer. "You have to make exceptions for someone like him because he is an exceptional talent.

"It would be a good move for him because he's only young. If he wants to go to Real Madrid, or anywhere in three or four years' time, he will only be 22.

"It will be a great coup for Newcastle if we get him. We haven't got him yet but it is great to see the club competing at the top end of the transfer market.

"I was a touch surprised when I first heard we had gone in for him, but then I realised we were going for him and money talks.

"We will keep our fingers crossed he comes here. If he chooses here over whichever options he has, then it will be great for us."

Rooney will not be the only new arrival if he opts to join Newcastle, as the Magpies are also expected to unveil a new centre-half following Jonathan Woodgate's controversial transfer to Real Madrid.

Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with Norwich highlighted the same defensive deficiencies that have haunted Newcastle in the past, and many fans see the capture of a dominant defender as being of more pressing importance than Rooney's immediate future.

Shay Given's aberration for Norwich's first goal was unusual, but the statuesque defending that led to their second hinted at a lack of a defensive leader that must be rectified if Newcastle are to start climbing the Premiership table.

"Woody would not have been playing, so you cannot say it would have been different if he had been here," argued Shearer.

"He would not have been playing for another three or four weeks so it is out of the question to suggest anything otherwise.

"I don't want to be critical of anyone. We defend as a team and we attack as a team.

"I cannot put my finger on why things are not going right. It is just bad luck. Once we get our first win the rest will follow - it's getting the first win that is proving difficult."

Newcastle's next chance to get that elusive three points comes at Aston Villa tomorrow, with Shearer urging the Magpies to stay united despite everything that has happened in the first two weeks of the campaign.

"This is not the start to the season anyone imagined," he admitted. "But the only way we will get through this is by sticking together as a group, and that is everyone within the whole club.

"We must not press the panic buttons. We have to stay together as a football club. We will get it right through hard work and determination."