BARTON HALF WAY TO BLUES; Football Spy THE ORIGINAL GOSSIP COLUMN..LATEST NEWS..THE BIGGEST MOVES..EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Byline: ALAN NIXON

EXCLUSIVE

BIRMINGHAM boss Alex McLeish is offering to pay pounds 25,000 a week to Newcastle to take Joey Barton on loan for the season.

The package will be considered by the rudderless Toon outfit once they have a new owner and manager - and while it is the best escape route for them it is still less than HALF of what Barton earns.

So if McLeish (circled) gets the nod to take on the fiery midfielder for the Blues' return to the top flight it will mean that relegated Newcastle must still pick up around pounds 2million of his salary.

Birmingham have short-listed Barton along with Rangers and Scotland star Barry Ferguson and even Patrick Vieira as possibles for their midfield leader role. The St Andrews club would be happy to take on Barton for a year at the cost of around pounds 1.3m, but do not want to buy him.

Barton is quite happy to stay on Tyneside but could be forced out if Alan Shearer - or any other manager - refuses to play him.

The Barton problem is just one of many at Newcastle where a handful of players are fancied on loan by rival clubs - like Kevin Nolan - who need Toon to 'sponsor' those deals because of the size of the salaries.FIORENTINA COULD BE WILLING TO SELL BRAZIL MIDFIELDER FELIPE MELO TO ARSENAL IF THE GUNNERS FULLBACK EMMANUEL EBOUE IS INCLUDED IN THE pounds 20M DEAL.

CAPTION(S):

WAITING GAME Barton (right) training at Newcastle last week