 EVERTON are ready to hijack Newcastle United’s move for Portuguese international midfielder Tiago. We reported on our Chronicle Live website yesterday afternoon that United had agreed a loan deal with Juventus, with an £8m deal becoming permanent in 12 months time. But United’s executive director Tony Jimenez has been unable to agree on just what contribution Newcastle would made towards the players wages and the deal stalled. This alerted Everton and, as David Moyes already has another Portuguese player with him at Goodison Park in the shape of Nuno Valente, a switch from Italy, where he has flopped, to Merseyside suddenly looks more attractive to Tiago. Everton have yet to move into the transfer market as buyers in the close season, and even if they do pull off the signing of Tiago it will not lessen their interest in United striker Alan Smith. Smith is not the only United striker in demand as Ipswich Town are finally hoping to tie up a £2.5m deal for Shola Ameobi. The Chronicle revealed on June 9 that Ipswich wanted Ameobi and it has taken over two months for the move to materialise. Certainly United do not believe in doing things in a hurry these days. There was still be no announcement from the club regarding the £10m signing of Fabricio Coloccini from Deportivo La Coruna, even though the Argentinian central defender has been on Tyneside for nearly a week and has been training with the club. However, United tell me that there could be news on Coloccini in the next 24 hours, but this has not stopped talk coming out of East London saying Kevin Keegan is a big admirer of West Ham centre- half Danny Gabbidon. United have until noon tomorrow to register Coloccini if he is to play against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. And the same applies to Jonas Gutierrez, whose paperwork still had not arrived at St James’ Park from Spain by first post today, and unless it comes he will miss out on the opener at Old Trafford. There isn’t much good news round for Keegan as far as Sunday is concerned. After watching Michael Owen and Abdoulaye Faye jogging around at yesterday’s open day, while the rest of their colleagues were put through a full session at St James’s, it is hard to see how either can be involved at Old Trafford. And it remains to be seen whether Keegan will still go ahead with the behind-closed-doors friendly he had planned to give Owen a work-out. In addition Oba Martins has been back in Nigeria after having knee trouble . | 
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