Alan O'Brien's career at St James's Park appears to be nearing an end after a player Sam Allardyce is keen to keep on Tyneside travelled to Edinburgh to open talks with Hibernian.
But Albert Luque looks to be staying put as a manager with a reputation for transforming failing careers made the disaffected Spaniard his latest project.
United's coaching team consider O'Brien a player with great potential but, having been allowed to run down his existing contract to its final days, the Republic of Ireland international has found himself in demand. Five Championship clubs have offered the 22-year-old terms, while Allardyce has tempted the winger with an improved long-term deal to remain with the Magpies. Yet Hibs boss John Collins is hoping to strike a deal to take the in-demand Dubliner to the SPL.
Collins is hoping the presence of assistant manager Tommy Craig - the former Newcastle reserve team coach, who has done so much to develop O'Brien - will prove decisive in his bid to lure him to Easter Road.
Hibs are willing to break their wage structure in order to acquire a player who won his first senior cap under Steve Staunton last season. With Damien Duff and Charles N'Zogbia both on the St James's Park payroll, it looks as though O'Brien will have to move on to discover the regular first-team action he craves to further his career with Ireland.
For all his promise, a player with exceptional pace has started just two Premier League fixtures in Newcastle colours. And, although Allardyce has made it clear that he rates his talents, it looks as though O'Brien will start the forthcoming campaign elsewhere.
However, it appears as though Luque will be back after Allardyce vowed to succeed where his predecessor could not.
Roeder's handling of the 29-year-old left much to be desired, with Luque overlooked for selection on a consistent basis having been told he had no future at St James's Park.
Having paid Deportivo La Coruña £10m for the Spanish international, Newcastle have not received value from a player who has started just six Premier League fixtures in two years. But, with a proposed loan move to PSV Eindhoven having collapsed, Allardyce is determined to address the situation.
"I feel far too many players have got lost at this football club," he said. "It's my responsibility to make sure this does not happen to any current member of the staff or any new player I might bring in. One of the reasons I was successful at Bolton Wanderers was because I was able to transform a foreign player from whatever country he had come from into a Premiership player.
"That's because we found out what problems he had as early as we possibly could.
"I don't want to be too critical of what has happened here in the past but in my opinion there has not been enough focus on what is happening in a player's life away from the training ground and the club."
