Monday's Sun reckons Martin Keown has definitely said no to a one-year contract at Highbury, and is the subject of a bidding war between Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

Steve Brenner claims that '(Bobby) Robson is a long-term admirer of Keown, 35, and wants to strengthen his defence after losing Sylvain Distin. But North East rivals Middlesbrough are also hunting the centre-half. Boro and England coach Steve McClaren is desperate to get Keown lining up alongside defensive rocks Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu.'

Rupe adds...
Within a day of Simon posting the above, Keown was also being linked with Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City. Anyone else want to join in? On the one hand, the more clubs express interest the less likely are the stories that any of them are a done deal. On the other hand, it does make you wonder if word really has got out that Keown is available. We doubt that anything official (and hence believable) will be revealed one way or the other until Martin returns from the Far East.