NEWCASTLE United are threatening to sabotage Middlesbrough's hopes of landing Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.

Northern Echo SPORT can reveal that the Magpies are monitoring the Icelandic international as they step up their search for fresh frontline blood.

Boro, who have lost striker Malcolm Christie for at least four months with a broken leg, had already made discreet enquiries about £5m-rated Gudjohnsen.

But rivals Newcastle, aware that his future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain following the Roman Abramovich revolution and arrivals of Hernan Crespo and Adrian Mutu, are also on alert.

Barcelona's Patrick Kluivert tops the Geordies' wish-list, and they have negotiated first refusal to sign the Dutchman if he becomes available.

Kluivert is out of contract at the end of the season and Barca will listen to offers when the transfer window opens in January.

But Kluivert, who has also attracted the attention of Arsenal and Manchester United and almost quit Barca in the summer, insists he is now happy at the Nou Camp and is hinting he could sign a new deal.

Newcastle, whose firepower has been severely depleted by the loss of Craig Bellamy following knee surgery, are still keeping tabs on Leeds United's former Sunderland striker Michael Bridges.

Sir Bobby Robson, also an admirer of Leeds forward Alan Smith, has ordered checks on Cardiff City's Robert Earnshaw - Bellamy's Wales teammate - but sees 25-year-old Gudjohnsen as a more viable alternative to Kluivert.

It is unclear, however, whether Chelsea are willing to sell before the end of the season and Gudjohnsen, who penned a new deal earlier this year, is understood to be in no hurry to move.

The absence of flu victim Alan Shearer in the 5-0 hammering at Chelsea nine days ago - substitute Gudjohnsen was among the goals - threw into focus the Magpies' dearth of attacking options.

Without the axis of skipper Shearer, England Under-21 international Shola Ameobi was forced to operate as a lone frontman.

Robson has ignored the claims of Lomana LuaLua, who was last week reprimanded after hitting out at his exclusion on his personal website.

The United boss knows LuaLua will soon be unavailable when he links up with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the new year for the African Nations Cup.

Meanwhile, the long-term answer to Boro's goalscoring problems could lie on their doorstep, with striker Danny Graham winning rave reviews.

The 18-year-old, who joined Boro just over a year ago from Chester-le-Street, scored twice as the Under-19s came from behind to win 3-1 at Newcastle on Saturday.

Gateshead-born Graham's brace followed his stoppage-time equaliser in the Reserves' 2-2 draw away to the Magpies eight days ago, when he was up against Jonathan Woodgate.

Graham has already come to the attention of a posse of scouts and Darlington boss David Hodgson was thwarted in an attempt to sign him on loan. The Quakers were frustrated when told that academy players were not eligible to play at first-team level.

Graham's status, however, will soon change when Boro hand him professional terms.

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