Shola Ameobi is being linked with a return to Newcastle United.

The Daily Star says the 33-year-old is back on Tyneside after cutting short his stint with Turkish second-tier side Gaziantep for personal reasons.

Ameobi left St James' Park in the summer to bring the curtain down on his 14-year senior Toon career.

But caretaker boss John Carver is a big fan of the striker, and hopes to persuade the Toon hierarchy to hand Ameobi a short-term deal to cover for the absence of nine-goal top scorer Papiss Cisse, who is on Africa Cup of Nations duty for the next month.

Blackpool boss Lee Clark is keen to lure his former Newcastle team-mate into joining the Tangerines' Championship relegation battle.