Newcastle to replace Joey Barton with Steve Sidwell?

Newcastle have thrown Joey Barton's future into fresh doubt by lining up a £5million move for Chelsea outcast Steve Sidwell.

Barton's hopes of starting pre-season training yesterday were scuppered by a delay in his early release from a six-month jail sentence.

And there was more bad news for the disgraced midfielder when it emerged Kevin Keegan fancies Aston Villa target Sidwell. The ex-Reading star would be a like-for-like replacement for 25-year-old Barton, who faces crunch talks with Keegan this week.

Despite claims he's kept up a strict fitness regime behind bars, Barton admits it could be weeks before he's back up to speed.

His agent Willie McKay conceded: "He's not back yet. It could be at least another three to four weeks."

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