Source: Daily_Mail
Newcastle put Martins and Coloccini up for sale in bid to slash £65m wage bill
Obafemi Martins and Fabricio Coloccini are among the list of names Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley hopes to offload in a bid to slash the club's £65m annual wage bill and make the relegated club more attractive to sell.
Martins is one of the biggest earners at St James' Park and Ashley is desperate to get his £80,000-a-week wages off Newcastle's books as they prepare for life in the Championship.
The Guardian reports the 24-year-old Nigerian striker, who cost the Magpies £10m in 2006, has been linked with Wolfsburg, Sevilla and Lyon but he will reportedly not be offered anymore than £40,000-a-week at any of the three clubs.
Coloccini, 27, another £10m purchase, is on £70,000-a-week but after adisappointing season is unlikely to earn that anywhere else - althoughGalatasaray have made a £4m bid for the Argentina defender.
Newcastle has attracted interest from Malaysia, the US and the UK but the club remains unsold with concerns about their £65mannual wage a major stumbling block.
