THE barrister representing ex-Newcastle United star Jonas Gutierrez has told an employment tribunal that former manager Alan Pardew provided "untrue" evidence.

In his closing remarks today (Wednesday, March 30), the Argentinian's barrister said the case involved a number of "high profile individuals" including former managers Mr Pardew, John Carver and managing director Lee Charnley.

Martin Budworth, representing the midfielder, claimed Newcastle United's witnesses were "not just mistaken about this, but are giving knowingly untrue evidence".

He alleged that Mr Pardew had given "suspicious evidence" and his account was "tailored" to fit the club's version of events.

Gutierrez is reported to be seeking about £2 million in compensation for a disability discrimination claim, after alleging Newcastle ensured he did not start enough matches to trigger a lucrative one-year contract extension.

Currently playing for Deportivo La Coruna, he spent seven seasons with the Magpies after joining in 2008, and underwent an operation to remove a tumour in his left testicle in October 2013.

In a statement to the tribunal, the 32-year-old said he was called in by then manager Mr Pardew in early December 2013 - when he felt he was returning to full fitness - to be told he no longer featured in the club's plans.

However, Mr Pardew testified that he told the player of his squad plans as early as the pre-season of that year, months before the player's testicular cancer diagnosis.

Newcastle United, owned by businessman Mike Ashley, deny any wrongdoing.

In his closing remarks to the Birmingham tribunal, Mr Budworth said Gutierrez wouldn't have chosen to languish if he'd already been told he didn't feature in the club's plans.

He added: "There's no document that even hints at these exchanges in summer 2013.

"The respondent's (Newcastle's) witnesses are not just mistaken about this but are giving knowingly untrue evidence.

"They've found it irresistible to come up with a reason to deflect the obvious inference in this case from basic chronology.

Of Mr Pardew's account, he said: "He tries to suggest even as early as September 2011, that this player was already not in his plans.

"The fact he was seeking to create that impression hangs a serious question-mark over the entirety of his evidence."

He added that in 2011 Gutierrez had had a successful World Cup with Argentina and was "a very marketable asset".

The lawyer also said it was Gutierrez's case that the source of an alleged decision for the player being side-lined lay with Mr Ashley, although he has not been asked to give evidence.

Sean Jones QC, for Newcastle, said it had broken no rules in its dealings with the player.

He added: "We need people who are good and fit and regularly available."

Mr Jones said at the time Gutierrez left, Newcastle was in a Premier League relegation dogfight, adding: "We know the club had its back against the wall, fighting relegation, doesn't know which league it'll be in (next season), how much money it'll have, which players will stay, what vacancies it will have, and how much money it can pay.

"Against that, can you guarantee a player to stay in squad on his existing terms and conditions? We say it isn't reasonable."

"This is a £2.5 million commitment to a player who simply might not feature moving forward in circumstances where the then manager was saying 'I don't want him'.

"It's not reasonable to expect a club, at that point, to take him on."

The tribunal continues.