Kinnear Wants To Make Riise A Magpie

Photo Gallery

Zoom

John Arne Riise, Roma (Foto Grazia Neri)

Related Links

Teams

• Newcastle

Players

• John Arne Riise
• Joe Kinnear

Left-back is a problem position on Tyneside. Newcastle United have only one recognised, senior left-back at the club in Jose Enrique, the Spaniard who looks out of his depth in the physical, fast-paced Premier League.

And interim manager Joe Kinnear has hinted that he will be looking towards Serie A to solve the club's defensive weaknesses, with former Liverpool defender John-Arne Riise being lined up as a January signing.

With owner Mike Ashley struggling to find a buyer for the club he wants to sell, it looks as though Kinnear may be Newcastle manager for much longer than originally intended. With this in mind, Kinnear has identified two players he would like to strengthen the squad, with one believed to be Riise and the other Arsenal midfielder Denilson.

"I have already got my short-list ready and I will be giving it to Mike. We need two players in as soon as possible and I have them in mind," said Kinnear ahead of his team's trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea tomorrow.

"One is with Roma and he is not in the team at the moment and the other is a player who has already scored against us this season.

"I know their agents and what they would be is loan deals from January until the end of the season. I already know that the player in Rome would cost us £2 million to bring him over here.

"But we need to strengthen the team and the squad and if we can get them they would be a big boost because both are top-class players."

With Theo Walcott being injured whilst on England duty, and there being something of an injury crisis at the Emirates, Kinnear's chances of getting Denilson have probably significantly shrunk over the last week, but Riise would certainly be keen on a move away from Roma, where he has slipped right down the pecking order.

He joined Roma from Liverpool for £4 million in the summer, but has started only five games and is clearly finding life in Serie A difficult.

"I got some games wrong, but I know what I am worth. I don’t feel like a third choice and I think I am quite a good player," said Riise.

Zack Wilson, Goal.com