NEWCASTLE United were last night tipped to tie up a deal for Paris St. Germain defender Sylvain Distin before the end of the week.

Southampton, where former United head coach Mick Wadsworth is now right-hand man to first-time manager Stuart Gray, have joined the chase for Distin.

Contrary to claims by PSG that he was on Tyneside for talks, Distin's agent yesterday confirmed that the 23-year-old centre-back was still in Paris.

Olivier Bernard, not to be confused with Newcastle's French defender of the same name, revealed: "Sylvain is in Paris. He is weighing up offers from several clubs.''

But British-based intermediary Willie McKay maintained that Distin has set his heart on a move to Tyneside, probably in a loan agreement with a view to a permanent deal which could cost United £3m.

McKay said: "I'm still confident Sylvain will join Newcastle at some point this week. A lot more clubs are interested, but I think he will go to Newcastle and in three or four weeks will sign permanently. The boy wants to play for Newcastle.''

Distin would link up again with former PSG teammate Laurent Robert, who joined Newcastle in a £10m deal in the close season.

Meanwhile, fellow new boy Craig Bellamy has already conceded defeat to Alan Shearer in the race to be Newcastle's leading scorer this season. Welsh international Bellamy is one up on the United skipper ahead of tomorrow's derby clash with Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Bellamy bagged his first Premiership goal for the Magpies when he grabbed the equaliser in the Tyne-Wear tussle with Sunderland 12 days ago.

The £6m summer signing from Coventry was further buoyed this week by his strike for Wales in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat in Norway.

But with Shearer on the brink of his first start for six months after recovering from knee surgery, Bellamy soon expects to be playing second fiddle to the former England captain.

"I'll need more of a head start than this,'' insisted Bellamy. "With his record, Alan will catch up as soon as he starts playing.

"He's one of the best in the business, world class, and I don't fancy my chances of beating him in the goal stakes. I haven't set any targets - I just want to be part of a successful side.''

Shearer, who scored in United's 3-1 win at the Riverside last season, is rated "50-50'' by the Magpies' medical team to start alongside Bellamy after emerging unscathed from a practice match on Wednesday.

* Newcastle's Dutch goalkeeper John Karelse has joined First Division Portsmouth on a month's loan

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