KEVIN KEEGAN faces a fight to lure Bafetimbi Gomis to Newcastle, after the St Etienne striker claimed he would rather move to Italy than a club in the bottom half of the Premier League.

A day after engaging in a fourhour meeting with owner Mike Ashley, Keegan was in France on Saturday night - along with assistant Terry McDermott and executive director football Dennis Wise - running the rule over Gomis.

The 22-year-old, rated in the £15m bracket, was on an extensive list of names drawn up by Wise and recommended to Keegan and, given his reputation, the trio headed to Paris.

Gomis failed to find the net in the 1-1 draw with Paris St Germain, but the trip to the Parc des Princes has given Keegan food for thought in his attempts to strengthen his attacking options.

But with a number of European clubs lining up a summer move for the uncapped La Seynesur- Mer-born forward, who can play for either France or Senegal, Newcastle face tough competition.

It is a situation made more difficult by the fact Gomis is keen on Serie A is a strong one, where Champions League bound Fiorentina are among a clutch of clubs interested in him.

"It is better to go to Italy to play rather than go to England in a team at the bottom of the league," said Gomis. "I still have things to learn. I'm happy at St Etienne but I don't know if I will still be there next season."

Keegan, however, is determined to bolster his attacking options during the close-season, particularly with the fact that Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen are attracting attention.

Arsenal are long-term admirers of Martins, with a £13m buyout clause still in the Nigerian's contract.

Manchester United are said to be weighing up a summer move for Owen, which would net Newcastle around £7m, while there remains no progress on talks over a new contract.

And while a move to Japan may sound outrageous, J-League side JEF United Chiba are putting together a package in a bid to land the England striker.

JEF United are bottom of the J-League, with just one victory, and they have recently installed Liverpool assistant boss Alex Miller as manager.

Peter Ramage, the versatile defender, who joined Newcastle when he was 11, has signed a two-year deal at QPR.

Ramage had been offered new terms with the Magpies, but has opted for a move to West London in the hope of playing regularly and reviving a career that has been held back by injury.