Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is pressing to land Aston Villa outcast Stephen Ireland.
The Sunday Sun says Ireland is desperate to join Newcastle and play regular football - but his £60,000-a-week basic wage is proving a stumbling block.
Mike Ashley is not prepared to go to obscene lengths to bring in players and will instead wait until the deadline draws near in the knowledge that both the player and his club will probably reel in their demands.
Ireland, for the moment, is Pardew's No1 January target.
