Magpies aim to see off late Spurs target bid

Premier League rivals Newcastle hope to beat off late interest from Tottenham to sign Deportivo La Coruna defender Fabricio Coloccini.

Toon boss Kevin Keegan has targeted the 26-year-old to shore up his flimsy defence and the La Liga side removed him from their pre-season trip to Venezuela until his future is resolved.

A line on their official club website revealed: "The footballer Fabricio Coloccini remains in La Coruna as his future will be decided in the upcoming days."

Coloccini's agent, Marcelo Lombilla, met with club president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro again last night after he knocked back an opening offer of 11million euros (£8.7million) for the tough Argentinian - who can play wide or in the middle - because he is holding out for a fee in the region of 12million euros (£9.5million).

"The only offer I am dealing with is that of Newcastle," Lombilla told Spanish sports daily AS. "Which is the one that I brought about."

He added: "We must finish this part of the negotiations.

"I do not understand the attitude of Deportivo. Coloccini is disappointed."