Wise Chases Malouda

Dennis Wise, Newcastle's executive director (football), has approached Chelsea about signing Florent Malouda for around £10m. Wise was told that Malouda will be available providing that Robinho ends up swapping the Bernabéu for Stamford Bridge. If Newcastle do pursue the Frenchman, Kevin Keegan's resolve to retain his winger James Milner may be tested. Newcastle's hopes of taking Javier Saviola on loan from Real Madrid seemed to be dashed by the striker's apparent lack of interest last week but Mike Ashley, the club's owner, has promised corporate fans a "wow" signing and it is believed the Argentinian may be willing to change his mind about a temporary move to Tyneside. On Saturday, Saviola said: "Newcastle have signed two friends of mine in Fabricio Coloccini and Jonás Gutiérrez. It would be positive for me to play alongside two fellow Argentinians." Should the Malouda deal come to nothing, Newcastle could make a late bid for Antonio Valencia, the Wigan winger, and with a left-back still high on Keegan's shopping list, they are pursuing Michal Kadlec, the Sparta Prague full-back, as well as Liverpool's Emiliano Insúa.