NEWCASTLE UNITED have turned down an opportunity to sign one of their former transfer targets as Alan Pardew pursues a younger, fresher approach to life in the Premier League.

Birmingham City captain Barry Ferguson is available  and would prefer to head north to be nearer his Scotland roots.

But Pardew has indicated he does not want to sign the 33-year-old, who was targeted by Newcastle in January 2009 when at Rangers.

Former Magpies boss Joe Kinnear tried to sign Ferguson, but he ended up at Birmingham the following summer.

Despite being keen to head for Tyneside, Ferguson has been overlooked as Newcastle chase Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson.

Gibson has been courted by Sunderland throughout the summer and has been expecting to move to the Stadium of Light.

But a failure to push through a £12m triple deal that would also have included John O’Shea and Wes Brown has left the door open for Newcastle.

A deal is far from being agreed, but Pardew is genuinely interested in adding Gibson, rated at around the £5m mark by Sir Alex Ferguson, to his ranks at Sunderland’s expense.

Newcastle are also still working on a new left-back, with uncertainty surrounding their bid for Swansea full-back Neil Taylor.

The Swans have rejected a £1m offer for the 22-year-old, a mark that met a clause in his contract which allowed him to speak with other clubs.

Newcastle – who will not enter a bidding war – believed they were on the brink of pushing through a deal and are now relying on Taylor handing in a transfer request.

Newcastle expect Spaniard Jose Enrique, who has been considered by a number of clubs as he heads in to the final year of his contract, to start the campaign with them.