NEWCASTLE United have made a £1.5m swoop for Bradford City's highly-rated goalkeeper Matt Clarke.

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham keeper has been pulled out of the Bradford party for this weekend's Intertoto Cup trip to Lithuania.

Clarke was due to face FK Atlantas Klaipeda in Sunday's second round, first leg clash but is instead heading for talks with Newcastle boss Bobby Robson.

The Magpies want cover and competition for Shay Given and Steve Harper and 26-year-old Clarke, who performed heroics late last season to help keep Bradford in the Premiership, fits the bill.

Sheffield-born Clarke's arrival would swell Newcastle's senior goalkeeping ranks to five, with transfer-listed duo John Karelse and Lionel Perez still seeking new clubs.

It would also put pressure on Given and Harper. With a 6ft 4in frame, Clarke commands his area well and is sure to keep the current incumbents on their toes.

Meanwhile, former Newcastle keeper Pavel Srnicek, a free agent after reaching the end of his contract at Sheffield Wednesday, has joined Italian side Napoli and is understood to have signed a £320,000-per-year, two-season deal.

The Czech Republic international had sounded out Newcastle about making a return to St. James' Park, where he enjoyed cult status with the fans.

Newcastle's Italian left-back Alessandro Pistone is poised to complete a £3m move to Everton after agreeing a five-year deal with the Merseysiders.

Pistone, 24, cost Newcastle £4.5m three years ago when Kenny Dalglish lured him from Inter Milan.

Everton spokesman Mark Rowan yesterday confirmed: "We've agreed personal terms with the player and he will sign a five-year deal tomorrow, subject to a medical.''

Aston Villa's former Newcastle defender Steve Watson, a target for Middlesbrough, has also had talks with Everton as he lines up a £2.5m move.

l ENGLAND international Richard Wright, another keeper Newcastle have kept tabs on, was yesterday transfer-listed by newly-promoted Ipswich after refusing to agree a new deal. Ipswich chief David Sheepshanks said: "Richard is not prepared to sign a new contract and that leaves the club no option but to make him available for transfer - and that's what we've done.

"However, the door is still open and we haven't given up hope that he will sign a new contract.''

l CELTIC have parted company with director of football operations Kenny Dalglish.

The position of former Newcastle boss Dalglish looked in doubt after Martin O'Neill's appointment as manager four weeks ago.

A statement read: ''The board of directors of Celtic PLC today announced that the contract of Kenny Dalglish, director of football operations, has been terminated.''

Terry McDermott, who worked alongside Dalglish at Newcastle and Celtic, said he hoped Dalglish would not turn his back on the game.

''Whatever's going to happen to Kenny now, we hope he stays in football because football needs people like Kenny Dalglish,'' he said. ''Kenny lives and breathes football and lives and breathes Celtic. Things haven't worked out the way we all expected but that's football.'