Newcastle United are putting Obafemi Martins up for sale in order to raise much-needed transfer funds.

The Independent says Martins is the latest Newcastle player to be told by the new regime that he can leave if the club can find a suitable buyer this summer. The Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce will have to sell players in order to raise money if he is to bring in new faces and the Nigerian will be used to raise transfer funds.

The imperative for Allardyce to sell goes to the heart of Mike Ashley's £133m takeover. The injury to Joey Barton has left Allardyce short of fit players and there are increasing suggestions that the new manager does not see eye-to-eye with the man who took over the club shortly after he was appointed.