Newcastle believe they have won a six-club chase for the French World Cup striker Stephane Guivarc'h. Lazio, Rangers, Arsenal, Internazionale and Bayern Munich are also pursuing the £6 million Auxerre goalscorer but Newcastle are confident he will line up with Alan Shearer next season.
A St James' Park official said: "Guivarc'h is going nowhere but here."
It is believed that the 28-year-old had agreed to move to Tyneside provided Newcastle stayed in the Premiership, but the two clubs have yet to reach a deal and the fee may prove a stumbling block.
Newcastle are ready to pay £4 million but Auxerre are holding out for a club record and the price will rocket if Guivarc'h is a World Cup success. He was top scorer in the French First Division last season with 21 goals.
The Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish is expected to watch him in France's opening game against South Africa in Marseilles on Friday.
John Gregory, the Aston Villa manager, has warned his five contract rebels that they will be transfer-listed if they do not sign new deals by July 15th.
Mark Bosnich, Gary Charles, Mark Draper, Julian Joachim and Riccardo Scimeca have 12 months left on their existing contracts and next summer would be entitled to walk away on Bosman-ruling free transfers.
