Newcastle United boss Joe Kinnear is desperate to hold onto midfielder Nicky Butt.

The manager said: "Nicky is very important to us. He is a very influential player.

"I think he is playing as well as any other midfield player in the Premier League at the moment.

"He is very fit, very knowledgeable and you need somebody out there who has got that sort of ability and has seen it and done it in the position we are in.

"I would sooner have that have too many young ones who may get too sucked into it and loose their way a little bit."