Freddy Shepherd is determined to keep Newcastle United's squad together - if his consortium is successful in takeover talks.

The Sunday Sun says while Alan Shearer is likely to be offered the manager's job by any new owner, part of the reason he is supportive of Shepherd's takeover bid is because the former United chairman will go all out to keep Sebastien Bassong in Toon with a new, much-improved contract.

Shepherd is also committed to trying to keep Habib Beye and Steven Taylor on Tyneside.

But although Keith Harris, the man in charge of finding a buyer for United, is in America talking to an interested party, no major development on the takeover front is now expected until the middle of the coming week.