Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce is expected to land Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim in January.

The Evening Chronicle says Allardyce tried to sign the 25-year-old former Maccabi Tel Aviv defender in the close season after he became a free agent at Bolton, but the lure of London and Chelsea turned the player's head.

But things have not gone so well for Ben Haim at Stamford Bridge, and it's reported that nothing would give him greater pleasure than to link up with Allardyce again.

Ben Haim is not hitting it off with fellow Israeli Avram Grant at Chelsea, and he could be picked up for a nominal fee in January.