Former Newcastle United striker Kevin Gallacher has questioned Joe Kinnear's interest in Rangers pair Barry Ferguson and Madjid Bougherra.

Gallacher told the Daily Mail: "After (Jean Alain) Boumsong, it will take a lot of convincing for the fans to be happy with bringing players down from the Scottish league.

"Newcastle paid £8m for him. Money like that for a player from Scotland means they have to be world-class. Boumsong did not live up to his reputation for being class - far from it.

"He disappointed and there was never a glimpse of anything that would have said he was an £8m player. Graeme Souness brought him in and it was just very disappointing for everyone that it didn't work out.

"But these things can happen in football and, if another player comes down to Newcastle, then it will be up to them to make the difference.

"Barry and Bougherra have both been mentioned and Newcastle will be looking to get them on the cheap. I don't imagine that figures in Sir David Murray's plans, so it would take a good bit of banter between the clubs before Rangers would sell.

"As far as Bougherra is concerned, Newcastle are always looking for defenders because that is always where they seem to struggle. Because the supporters demand nice-looking football, the defenders they want have to be able to play - they can't just hoof the ball out of the park all the time."