Jailbird Joey Barton told to take £6m wage cut or be sacked

Jailed Joey Barton was yesterday told to take a £30,000-a-week pay cut or face being sacked, as Newcastle owner Mike Ashley gets tough.

Barton was briefed on the offer - and the alternatives - by his agent Willie McKay who will this morning visit Walton prison to hear the player's response.

Barton will be asked to give up £6million in wages over the next four years if he signs the new deal. He was jailed for six months in May for assault and affray in Liverpool in December.

He faces another trial this month on a charge of assaulting former team-mate Ousmane Dabo while still playing for Manchester City.

Toon are trying to take the moral high ground although finances also play a part, with Ashley and sidekick Dennis Wise trying to slash the wage bill.

The England midfielder has been stunned by Newcastle's hardline approach. Barton's pay had already been stopped, but he hoped to be back in preseason training next month before this latest development.

He faces the choice of settling for £30,000-plus a week, about half what he was on before, or rejecting it and becoming a free agent.

Should he turn down the revised terms he will be sacked and have to find another club, although that could involve a further wrangle with United over his fee.

Manager Kevin Keegan wants to keep Barton, but Ashley is unwilling to do so on his current contract, yet does not want to lose out financially by letting him go for nothing.

However if Barton rejects Newcastle's demand there could be further complications. The club will want to keep his registration and look for about £3million for him.

Newcastle have seen how Chelsea pursued Adrian Mutu for damages after the striker was sacked for failing a drug test and could try to sue Barton for compensation.

Newcastle's tougher stance comes as part of an overhaul of spending on Tyneside.

Big earners like Alan Smith - and even Michael Owen - may be moved out as Ashley cuts costs. There have been no new signings as yet, posing fresh questions about the size of Keegan's kitty.