NEWCASTLE UNITED are ready to take Patrick Kluivert on an initial loan deal in a bid to speed up a move to St James' Park.

Kluivert's agent Paul Foortse has been in talks with the Newcastle board and last night revealed that a deal could be completed by "the end of the week".

The Magpies are looking at the possibility of trying to sign the Dutchman on an initial season-long loan, which mirrors the deal that took Gaizka Mendieta to Middlesbrough a year ago.

Despite arriving last summer the Spanish midfielder only recently completed a permanent free transfer to the Riveriside after his contract expired at Lazio.

Now Kluivert could arrive on Tyneside in a similar deal as the player and Newcastle try to find a successful end to negotiations over terms.

The 28-year-old, who still has a year to run on his existing deal at Barcelona, is thought to be on £80,000 a week at the Nou Camp.

He has been told he can leave Barca but Newcastle are unwilling to pay anything like the money he is on at the Catalan giants.

It is understood the Magpies are trying to broker a loan so the clubs can split Kluivert's wages for the remainder of his contract with Barcelona before reviewing the situation at the end of thw season.

Meanwhile, Gary Speed's days at Newcastle are nearing an end with Bolton emerging as serious contenders for his signature.

Fulham remain favourites to land the Welshman but the Trotters are preparing a late bid for the player, who Newcastle are hoping to receive £500,000 for.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has been busy on the transfer front and has invited Aston Villa's Hassan Kachloul, former Middlesbrough man Emerson, Israeli Tal Ben Haim and Lens' Cyril Rool to a training camp in Portugal.

And Allardyce is believed to be quite keen on adding Speed to his squad ahead of the new campaign.

But the 34-year-old, who would like ideally to see out his playing days at Newcastle, could be tempted by the possibility of working with close friend and fellow countryman Chris Coleman at Fulham.

Boro have also monitored Speed's situation but their interest is now thought to have cooled after switching their attention to Ray Parlour and Geremi.

Once the Speed situation is sorted out Newcastle are likely to step up their bid to land Nicky Butt from Manchester United.

Butt has had a number of clubs interested in him this summer but Newcastle are the club he would prefer to join if he is to end his six-and-a-half year stay at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Titus Bramble is convinced the pre-season trip to Hong Kong has done him the world of good.

The centre-back played the full 90 minutes - along with Robbie Elliott - in both friendlies with Kitchee and Thailand and he said: "We now go back home and step things up on the training ground before the rest of the pre-season games, and I'm sure we'll be in good shape for the start.

"We can look back and say we lost one game on penalties and won the other, but fitness was the most important thing for us."

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