IPSWICH defender Titus Bramble would "love the opportunity" to join Newcastle United.

The Magpies are lining up a £6m deal for 20-year-old Bramble following the Tractor Boys' relegation.

And the player's agent, Jonathan Barnett, admitted: "The lure of Premiership football is important to any player. He has been linked with a lot clubs, but he is not interested in them all.

"He would love the opportunity to join Newcastle - it would be a great opportunity for him - but at the moment he remains an Ipswich player."

Barnett, who also acts for Newcastle's former Ipswich star Kieron Dyer, insisted there had been no official approach for Bramble.

The England Under-21 centre-back still has two years to run on his contract at Portman Road.

He underwent surgery for an Achilles injury last week and it is understood United manager Bobby Robson will assess Bramble's recovery before firming up his interest.

Robson, whose need to strengthen in defence has intensified following on-loan Sylvain Distin's decision to join Kevin Keegan's Manchester City in a £4m deal, has also been linked with Coventry's Republic of Ireland centre-back Gary Breen after his release by the Sky Blues.

West Ham, Charlton, Fulham and Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon have also been credited with an interest in 28-year-old Breen.

Meanwhile, one-time Newcastle loanee Helder, who has expressed an interest in rejoining the Geordies after being released by Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna, is in talks with Sporting's fierce rivals Benfica.

The Angola-born Portugal centre-back spent four-and-a-half years with Benfica before moving to Deportivo.

* Manchester City have revealed the lengths they went to to sign Nicolas Anelka - including showing him Kevin Keegan's medals and a video of last season's promotion triumph, writes PAUL WALKER

City yesterday agreed a £13m deal to take the Paris St. Germain striker to Maine Road after Liverpool decided against offering the player a full-time contract.

City had already admitted that they had taken the Frenchman on a tour of the Commonwealth Games stadium, where they will play after next season, but their sales pitch went even further than that. Director of football Dennis Tueart admitted: ''We showed Nicolas a video of last season's promotion highlights so that he could see the quality of the side, and then we showed him some of Kevin's medals.''

It did the trick and now Keegan will mark his first anniversary as City boss by smashing through the £30m barrier in his Maine Road transfer dealings.

Keegan is expected to complete the signing of Anelka - after the Frenchman has undergone a medical - and then conclude a £3.5m deal for Matias Vuoso from Argentinian club Independiente over the weekend.

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