Sam Allardyce insists Kieron Dyer is still heading for the exit door at  Newcastle (Daily Express). There seems be no chance that the player will be staying at St James Park - a view that has been well and truly backed by the words of Big Sam himself.

"I don't think we can (keep him) for the reasons I gave last Thursday," said the Toon boss. "The only way I can see to resolve this is for Kieron to move closer to his family. Nobody has come in with the right money yet. Nobody has offered anything like the money we want. If they don't come in (with the right offer) then all I can do is sit down with Kieron and see if there's something else we can do.''

This will keep the gossip junkies going again, Spurs, West Ham and Man City have all been linked, as they have for what seems like hundreds of other players. My money is on Spurs or City - both seem to be good avenues to kick-start Dyer’s career.

Arsene Wenger is apparently beginning to get sick of the persistent rumours connecting Arsenal with a move for former Gunners striker Nicolas Anelka, The Independent claims the normally mild-mannered boss ‘lost it’ when approached about the issue once too often following a recent match. "Why is everyone so obsessed with Anelka?" he barked. "At the moment I have not made any offer."

If this is indeed what Wenger has remarked, then expect the words ‘'at the moment’' to be picked apart to death as this statement does nothing to dampen the rumour fire.

Newcastle are very much the main producers of rumours in the press right now, so let's continue with the goings on at Toon Army. Ex-owner Freddy Shepherd fired a parting shot at Michael Owen last night claiming the England striker ''owes" the club a lot (Daily Express). Now I am not a big fan of the former St James’ Park chairman, but I think he is right on this one.

After seemingly aiding Owen’s stifling career by purchasing the former goal-machine, they have stood by England’s leading international goalscorer as a succession of injuries have reduced him to just 13 starts in two seasons. Yet Michael's fitness crisis still looks favourable in comparison to the legend that is Carl Cort.

Owen is still only 27 and has some good years ahead of him and I am sure he is as keen as anyone to fulfil his faltering potential and get back to something like the form that earned him the European Footballer of the Year crown back in 2001. All of which must seem like a distant memory to him.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have made a surprise £6m offer for Manchester United striker Alan Smith (Daily Mirror). Rumours that suggest Allardyce is after the former Leeds man with a view to him becoming a mentor for their genius/headcase midfielder Joey Barton have simply been invented by me. Everton and Middlesbrough were also said to be looking into signing the striker converted to a midfielder and on some occasions back to being a not-so-free-scoring striker. All joking aside, I think Smith has calmed down a great deal since he was signed by Sir Alex and could still prove a worthy addition to any of three sides mentioned.

Allardyce, it seems, has not welcomed talk of the return of Kevin Keegan to St James' Park in the role of Director of Football. It doesn't seem surprising that a newly-appointed manager would be over-keen on the return of a former boss - and one who did great things into the bargain.

Rumours have also surfaced that Alan Shearer has been in meetings with chairman Chris Mort with a view to being brought back to the club in an as yet unknown position. However, they would have to pry him away from his media involvements, which could be problematic, though maybe a year or two down the line he may be more receptive to ‘going home’.

I am sure that Allardyce would have fewer problems in this regard with Shearer as at least he would not be an immediate threat to his tenure - even if it seems more than likely the Geordie god will one day fill the St James' Park hotseat.

Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy has turned down a new contract in a bid to secure Champions League football (Daily Mirror). I am sure that Rovers fans saw this one coming a mile off. Much-hyped player spends seemingly years trying to get himself into the Premiership, does well for an unfashionable club, and then demands to join another side.

I feel very sorry for the Ewood Park faithful and Mark Hughes on this one. I understand that players will always try to ‘better’ themselves but when it is done in such an unsubtle way, it really makes you wonder where loyalty lies in the game (oh yes, that old chestnut again).

Like it or not the South African striker was going backwards after a disappointing time at Porto following their tremendous Champions League success. He was supposedly linked to a whole host of clubs but Blackburn won the chase. It seems that McCarthy wants out now, and the least that Blackburn can hope for is to make a profit on the £2.5m they paid to bring him to England.