Source: Northern_Echo
Harewood close to Magpies switch
NEWCASTLE are expected to sign Marlon Harewood before the weekend after receiving assurances about the Aston Villa strikers fitness.
Chris Hughton has added the previously out-of-contract Peter Lovenkrands to his attacking ranks since the transfer window closed on September 1, but the Magpies manager is keen to sign another forward on a temporary basis now the window for emergency Football League loans has opened.
Harewood has been one of Hughtons leading targets for a number of weeks, but the Newcastle boss raised concerns about the 30-year-olds fitness following a lengthy lay off with a foot problem.
However, having discussed Harewoods injury situation with Villa officials, Hughton is now happy to discuss the details of a proposed loan to St James Park.
And with the Magpies injury situation unlikely to improve ahead of Sundays trip to Cardiff, there is now a chance the former Nottingham Forest and West Ham striker could complete a temporary switch to Tyneside in the next three days.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has also given Newcastle encouragement in any pursuit to bring striker Sam Vokes to Tyneside.
The Wales international forward has been earmarked by the Magpies to help solve their lack of numbers in attack.
Chris Hughton will face competition for the 19-yearold Middlesbrough are also believed to be interested after McCarthy confirmed he sees it in the players interest to go out on loan.
Sam really needs to play some football. There was half a chance he could have gone out last week, said McCarthy.
For him to develop and for us to benefit he has to play regularly.
For him to improve he's got to play some football so there's a chance he can go out.
With Shola Ameobi and Andy Carroll both ruled out of this weekends clash with the Bluebirds, and Lovenkrands unlikely to start the game after training on his own for the bulk of pre-season, Nile Ranger is expected to start as a lone striker.
But having pulled 17-yearold Haris Vuckic out of Tuesday nights reserves game with Bradford, Hughton is prepared to turn to the untried Slovenian as Newcastle attempt to maintain their unbeaten record against one of their leading promotion rivals.
Meanwhile, Ameobi is one of four players to have been nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award for August.
The injured striker, who scored a hat-trick in Newcastles 3-0 win over Reading, is up against former Newcastle marksman Michael Chopra, Bristol City forward Nicky Maynard and Derby defender Miles Addison.
Championship side Nottingham Forests plans to build a new stadium as part of the citys 2018 World Cup bid have been criticised by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Gamston was chosen by the club as a suitable location for the 45,000-seater stadium.
However, the land at the proposed site is owned by the county council and they have refused to support any plans to build on the greenbelt.
County council leader Kay Cutts said Forest acted like a centre-forward prima donna by announcing the proposals for the new location on Monday.
Weve made it very clear we would only support a bid on the existing Forest site.
Our land at Gamston is not for sale, Cutts said.
We dont believe that changing the location of our premier ground is a good move its bad for football, bad for business, bad for local people and risks scuppering our bid to be a World Cup city.
