Martins is not gunner move

Jul 13 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

OBAFEMI MARTINS is staying at Newcastle — after Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insisted he is not interested in him.

Amid renewed speculation linking Martins with the Gunners, the Sunday Sun understands Wenger has discreetly informed United officials he has no plans to move for the Nigerian striker.

Instead, Wenger is confident of landing Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz as a replacement for Emmanuel Adebayor if the Togo striker leaves for Barcelona.

Meanwhile, former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd is eyeing Shola Ameobi as his first signing if he buys Real Mallorca.

Shepherd will make a written offer of £20 million for the La Liga club on Wednesday, with a possibility that a deal could be done by the time United visit Mallorca for a pre-season tournament early next month.

And Shepherd has identified three Premier League players he would like to take with him to Spain, with Ameobi thought to be one of them.

Back on Tyneside, Newcastle have been offered Argentinian goalkeeper Mariano Andujar — currently with Estudiantes — and, not for the first time, Real Madrid’s attacking midfielder Julio Baptista.

And Metz defender Sebastien Bassong is on trial at St James’s Park.