SHAUN Wright-Phillips' agent has confirmed Newcastle's interest in the winger and insisted that money will not prevent his client from moving to St James' Park.

With Wayne Routledge expected to complete a surprise return to QPR in the next 48 hours, Newcastle are short of options on the right of midfield.

Magpies officials have made preliminary inquiries about both Wright-Phillips and Birmingham midfielder Seb Larsson, but neither approach has led to a formal offer.

In the case of Wright-Phillips, who Manchester City are hoping to sell rather than loan, Newcastle face competition from Bolton, Fulham and West Ham, with the England's internationals wages, which are understood to be around £60,000-a-week, also likely to pose a problem.

Ideally, Newcastle would like to sign Wright-Phillips on loan until the end of the season, but the 29-year-old's agent, Wayne Lindsay, insists the Magpies should not be put off by financial considerations.

"I can confirm that Newcastle United are definitely an option that he does have," said Lindsay. "At the moment, they're one of four options and it's really down to the player himself which club he decides to go to.

"I know what is being said, but I don't see wages being a stumbling block if he goes to Newcastle. He's really just assessing what his opportunities and options are and it'll be a decision taken for football reasons.

"Clearly it is well documented what his current situation (on the fringes of the Manchester City squad) is. The next move may well be a permanent one so it is important what he decides to do. There isn't really a timeline as such - it just needs to be done before the end of January."

Routledge is close to completing a season-long loan to QPR, that could turn into a permanent transfer in the summer if both parties agree.

The winger, who only left Loftus Road in January, has fallen out of favour at St James' Park, with boss Alan Pardew harbouring reservations about his ability to succeed at the very highest level.

He has not started any of Newcastle's last three Premier League matches, and was an unused substitute as the Magpies drew at the Stadium of Light at the weekend.

He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal after sealing a £1.5m move from QPR at the turn of the year, and produced a series of effective performances as Newcastle won the Championship title last season.

But having struggled to make the step up to the top-flight this season, Routledge will return to the Championship to assist QPR's promotion push.

He leaves a gap on the right of the Magpies midfield, which Joey Barton, normally a central midfielder, has plugged in recent weeks.

Barton is perfectly capable of playing in a wide position, but Pardew would prefer to have a more natural winger at his disposal and is prepared to make a renewed approach to Wright-Phillips.

The Magpies did make one addition to their staff yesterday, with the appointment of John Carver as assistant manager.

Carver, who recently left his caretaker position at Sheffield United, has signed a contract until the end of the season, but is expected to remain for the long term provided things run smoothly in the next few weeks.

The 46-year-old was previously at Newcastle under Sir Bobby Robson, and took caretaker charge of a 3-0 win over Blackburn in September 2004. He joined the Magpies as a player at the age of 14, but was forced to retire when an injury brought his career to a premature end.

"I'm delighted to be bringing John on board," said Pardew. "He has an excellent track record as a coach and of course knows this club very well.

"It was crucial for me that I brought in an assistant who I knew would work well with the current coaching team we have here. It's a short term deal at the moment in order that I can get to know John better and it gives us both the chance to see how the next four months pan out.

"That said, I'm very confident he'll be a great addition to our coaching staff and hopefully, if things go well, we can make it a longer term appointment come the summer."

Carver added: "I am proud and honoured to be able to come back once again to my hometown club.

"I have been lucky to be able to work around the world with some excellent people. However, I have always been a fan of this magnificent club and the years I spent working here were some of the happiest of my life."