Newcastle after Serbian striker

Dec 23 2007 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

NEWCASTLE United are tracking giant Valencia striker Nikola Zigic as Sam Allardyce looks to boost his striking options in January.

Allardyce pursued Zigic (right) while he was in charge at Bolton and while the 6ft 7½in Serbian international was at Racing Santander.

And the now United manager – who is losing Obafemi Martins to the African Nations Cup next month – has been alerted to Zigic’s struggle to establish himself at Valencia since moving to Spain in the summer.

Paris St Germain, Werder Bremen and another German club are rivalling Newcastle for a player who made his name at Red Star Belgrade.

Zigic has scored 11 goals in just 26 games for his country, but he has so far failed to impress new Valencia coach Ronald Koeman.

Allardyce is also back on the trail of unhappy Arsenal utility man Lassana Diarra, who he lost out on to the Gunners in the summer, and is one of several Premier League bosses keen on QPR’s 16-year-old reserve- team goalkeeper Liam O’Brien.

Meanwhile, Steven Taylor is fit again and set to replace David Rozehnal against Derby today, and United striker Mark Viduka has given Allardyce another boost.

The Australian striker has declared he will NOT play for his country in their World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Melbourne on February 6.

“I have a strong commitment of all the players to come if I need them, other than Mark Viduka who feels he is physically not up to it at this moment,” said Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek.