Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka has agreed in principle to join north-east rivals Newcastle.
Soccernet understands the 31-year-old has given Boro boss Gareth Southgate the
answer he was dreading and decided not to extend his stay at the Riverside
Stadium.
The Magpies have been courting the Australia international for a year and now
appear to have made a decisive breakthrough amid interest from West Ham,
Portsmouth and Birmingham among other suitors.
Further talks are expected to take place later this week as Viduka enjoys a
break before heading off on Asian Cup duty with his country.
Should Newcastle push home their interest in the former Celtic and Leeds
frontman, they would bring an end to his hugely successful three-year spell on
Teesside.
The Melbourne-born player arrived at the Riverside in a £4.5million from
Elland Road in July 2004 as then manager Steve McClaren assembled a new-look
strike-force in tandem with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Ayegbeni Yakubu joined them in a £7.5million switch from Portsmouth a year
later, but following the Dutchman's departure last summer it is Viduka who has
risen to the fore.
His 19 goals last season - seven of them in his last five starts - were key to
Boro's successful fight against relegation from the Premiership and
took his tally for the club to 42 in 100 appearances, 20 of them as a
substitute.
That sort of return, allied with his ability to hold the ball up and bring
team-mates into play, ensured he was in demand as his contract ran down, and
with Newcastle having twice failed to prise him away from Boro, their return was
almost inevitable.
Alan Shearer's retirement and Shola Ameobi's hip injury left the Magpies
without that type of striker last season, and while speculation continues over
Michael Owen's future a St James' Park, the prospect of having Viduka, Owen,
Ameobi and Obafemi Martins in his squad is one which will excite new boss Sam
Allardyce.
Southgate's emotions will be entirely different as he faces up to the task of
having to replace his star man just months after pulling off a major coup to
land Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate.
The Boro manager was desperate to keep his prize asset and will hope there is
still time to talk him around, but it appears the lure of a new challenge at St
James' Park has won the day.
Portsmouth's interest in taking Yakubu back to Fratton Park will now be even
more unwelcome with fans who implored Viduka to stay after seeing him claim a
match-winning double against Fulham on the final day of the season now preparing
for life without him.
Meanwhile, Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton is expected on Tyneside
today to discuss a proposed move to Newcastle.
