By Colin Young
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Newcastle United are still hoping to convince captain Fabricio Coloccini to stay at least for the rest of the season after the first round of talks between the two sides ended without a conclusion last night.
The Argentina international, his lawyers and advisers, Newcastle's managing director Derek Llambias and the club's legal team met in Newcastle on Monday afternoon in a bid to resolve Coloccini's unhappiness.
The Newcastle skipper, who has four years left on the contract he signed last season, has told the club he wants to return to Argentina for unspecified personal reasons. But he has not put in an official transfer request.
Unhappy: Newcastle's captain Fabricio Coloccini wants to return to Argentina
Coloccini's former club San Lorenzo would love to take the centre half back to Buenos Aires but they cannot afford his 60,000-a-week wages or the 8million fee Newcastle will put on his head if he insists he wants to return to South America.
Monday's meeting, which did not include manager Alan Pardew, could be the first of many required to resolve Coloccini's future. Although there was no official news from the club last night, behind the scenes officials are hopeful Coloccini will agree to stay until the end of the season.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, one player already lined up as a potential replacement, is now back in France after Newcastle agreed a 6m fee with Montpellier over the weekend.
Woe: Newcastle lost at home to Reading on Saturday to leave them close to the relegation zone
The defender is one of a number of French-based targets identified by chief scout Graham Carr, who has also recommended Bordeaux striker Yoan Gouffran as a cheaper alternative to Loic Remy, who joined Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle are hoping to seal deals for the pair quickly amid fears Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton are also interested.
Newcastle are believed to be close to a 2m deal for Bastia midfielder Florian Thuvian, seeing off late interest from Arsenal, as well as Nancy defender Massadio Haidara.
St Etienne's 10m-rated striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks to be out of reach in this window, but they are still monitoring Ajax's 31-year-old captain Siem de Jong and his young attacking team-mate Jody Lukoki.
Pressure: Alan Pardew's side have lost six of their last eight matches
They face more competition from QPR for Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko, 23, who is looking to move to the Premier League.
Two players not on the Newcastle wanted list are Swansea striker and Newcastle fan Danny Graham, a target of rivals Sunderland, and Darren Bent, who is surplus to requirements at Aston Villa.
As Pardew waits for new recruits following the shock weekend defeat at home to Reading, the Newcastle manager has decided not to take his players away before next week's critical relegation game at Villa.
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