Only Barcelona could tempt Jose away

Aug 30 2009 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

MIKE ASHLEY, would-be new owners and club bankers take note, Jose Enrique wants out of the Championship – but NOT out of Newcastle.

While others have formed an orderly queue for the exits at St James’s Park, this is one player who will need to be forcibly shown the door.

Well, unless Barcelona come calling, that is. And despite United being a “crazy” club that Jose Mourinho would struggle to manage.

No, Enrique neither hopes nor expects tomorrow’s Bank Holiday clash with Leicester to provide his farewell appearance in black-and-white.

Instead of eyeing an escape path via the transfer window, he is looking for a win which will plot a little more of Newcastle’s route back to the Premier League – and bigger things beyond.

Oh, and the Spaniard cares enough about his club and its fans to urge whoever takes charge at St James’s for the rest of the season to sign, rather than sell, new players.

“All the time I read in the papers that I will go here or there, but I’m happy here,” said Enrique, a firm fans’ favourite after two years on Tyneside, not to mention the Magpies’ only recognised left-back.