WIGAN and Bolton have joined the race for James Milner, but Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has still to decide whether or not he will sell the unsettled midfielder.
With West Ham boss Alan Pardew poised to make a £1.5m bid for Lee Bowyer, the Magpies manager is willing to bide his time as a number of his fringe players attract interest from elsewhere.
While Aston Villa manager David O'Leary claims he has agreed a £3m deal to take Milner to Villa Park on a permanent basis, Newcastle have yet to receive a formal bid from the Irishman.
Milner was a popular figure during a season-long loan deal at the Midlands club and, with Villa supporters calling for his head, O'Leary is aware his stock would rise if he were able to persuade the versatile midfielder to sign on a permanent basis this summer.
He is not alone in his admiration, however, with Newcastle aware of further interest from Wigan boss Paul Jewell and Bolton manager Sam Allardyce.
Milner, who cost £3.6m when he signed from Leeds in July 2004, is unlikely to be attracted by a move to the JJB Stadium.
But despite Bolton having missed out on European qualification, a switch to the Trotters would be more viable if Newcastle were unable to offer certain guarantees about the amount of first-team football he will be offered.
Despite O'Leary's recent comments, Milner is not averse to returning to St James' Park.
But after turning 20 in January, the Yorkshireman would be reluctant to spend another season flitting in and out of the side.
Roeder has little first-hand experience of Milner's skills, having been restricted to Academy duties when the player seven appearances for the Magpies at the start of last season.
But the Newcastle boss has seen enough to know the former England Under-21 international will be a wanted man if he is made available for transfer this summer.
By sitting tight while a number of clubs jostle for position, he is hoping to spark a bidding war that could yet see the midfielder's price rise well above the £3m that is likely to be offered by Villa.
Similarly, Roeder is in no rush to sell Lee Bowyer, despite Pardew's intention to make a formal approach within the next seven days.
The former England international, who made 11 unsuccessful appearances for the Hammers during a brief stay at Upton Park in 2003, has never hidden his desire to return to his native London.
With Roeder needing to sell to raise the funds he needs for an extensive summer rebuild, Bowyer is a player that is likely to be deemed surplus to requirements.
Even if Amdy Faye completes his mooted move to Portsmouth, the Magpies are hardly short of cover in the central areas.
But West Ham are unlikely to be the only club interested in the 28-year-old and Roeder is willing to wait and see what develops.
Meanwhile, Michael Chopra is considering a permanent move to League One play-off finalists Barnsley.
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