Spurs Villa & Arsenal On Standby As N'Zogbia Seeks Way Out Of Toon

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Premier League trio Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Aston Villa will all be on alert after Newcastle United player Charles N’Zogbia revealed that he is ready to quit the Magpies.

22-year-old N’Zogbia has been heavily tipped to leave St James’ Park this month, with Spurs along with the Gunners and Martin O’Neill’s Villans side all reportedly interested in the French Under-21 International.

While Arsenal’s interest in the versatile left-sided player seems to have cooled. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is well documented as looking for a solution to the problem on the left at White Hart Lane and sees N’Zogbia as a viable alternative to Stewart Downing, who looks set to remain at Middlesbrough.

Villa are also looking for a player with pace at left-back, with recent reports suggesting that O’Neill is ready to offer Villa misfit Nicky Shorey to Newcastle in a straight player swap.

Toon boss Joe Kinnear has always stated that none of Newcastle’s top players will be leaving in January, but is unlikely to keep N’Zogbia, who is determined to leave St James’ Park after four-and-a-half years.

N’Zogbia told www.lyoncapitale.fr: “There have been some changes at Newcastle recently. I have experienced six different managers in four years, and it is too much.

“Every season is getting worse and worse despite the lofty goals of the club. I therefore decided to leave, to try to find better exposure."

Ligue 1 Champions Lyon are also said to be interested in N’Zogbia, with the former Le Havre player conceding that his future ultimately depended on whether Newcastle are prepared to sell as he is under contract at the North East club until 2012.

“It is for the club to decide,” he added in L'Equipe.

“If Newcastle decide to keep me, I will stay. I will have no choice.

“I am waiting. They (Lyon) may actually have contacted my agent, but I did not get feedback.

“What is certain is that Lyon is a good club. Whether they really want me remains to be seen.”

Villa To Offer N'Zogbia Route Out Of Toon?

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Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is to step up his efforts to sign Charles N’Zogbia from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and is ready to offer Nicky Shorey as part of the deal in order to land the Frenchman.

Magpies boss Joe Kinnear has insisted that N’Zogbia will not be allowed to leave St James’ Park in January, with Tottenham Hotspur also reportedly interested in the versatile left-sided player, who is keen on a move away from the Premiership side.

Despite not wanting N’Zogbia to leave, Kinnear is an admirer of England International Shorey, who has fallen out of favour at Villa Park since his £3.5million switch from Championship club Reading in the summer. With a straight swap deal between the Toon and the Villans being mooted for the pair.

22-year-old N’Zogbia had expressed a desire to play for Arsenal recently, but Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out the possibility of the former Le Havre player arriving at the Emirates Stadium this month.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is also a fan of N’Zogbia and the Frenchman’s versatility makes the player an attractive proposition for Redknapp, who is keen to add balance to the left-hand side of the squad at White Hart Lane.

However, with Kinnear interested in 27-year-old Shorey and N’Zogbia desperate for a move away from the North East a swap involving the pair is the most likely outcome. If the two clubs can broker a deal that would see all parties happy.