SOUTHAMPTON manager Paul Sturrock has told Newcastle to forget about trying to sign England international James Beattie.

Beattie is one of a number of strikers identified by the Magpies as a long-term replacement for Alan Shearer, who will retire from the game at the end of next season.

The 26-year-old was the leading English striker two years ago as his 24 domestic goals fired Southampton to the FA Cup final and earned him an international call-up from Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Beattie was almost as prolific again last season, despite a mid-season fall-out with former Saints boss Gordon Strachan that saw him left on the bench for a number of games.

Newcastle would love to sign a like-for-like replacement for Shearer as neither Craig Bellamy nor Shola Ameobi can provide the kind of physical presence so integral to the United skipper's game.

Beattie is one of the few leading centre-forwards in that mould but, with speculation set to increase given his non-participation in Euro 2004, Sturrock has moved quickly to issue a "hands-off" warning to all interested parties.

"Every footballer has a price," said the Saints boss, who saw Beattie score against Newcastle in the penultimate game of last season. "But we are not a selling club.

"We are a top-half Premiership club and it is important that we build on that. There is a lot of building been done at this football club already that we do not want to dismantle.

"I've been told by the media that certain players are being targeted by other football clubs, but I can assure everyone that they will not be going anywhere.

"This is the time of year when you get naughty stories about Southampton players leaving - I can assure the fans that will not happen."

Meanwhile, the Magpies are one of a number of Premiership clubs monitoring the position of Michael Carrick at West Ham.

The Wallsend-born midfielder will be sacrificed as the Hammers desperately try to trim their wage bill following Saturday's play-off final defeat to Crystal Palace.

Carrick has been one of the few success stories at Upton Park this season but, faced with a £33m debt and an unsustainable wage bill, West Ham officials have accepted they cannot afford to keep him at the club.

Sir Bobby Robson is aware that 34-year-old midfielder Gary Speed is unlikely to play every game next season and, while Lee Bowyer flourished in central midfield at the end of the last campaign, United are short of cover in the holding role.

Carrick has never hidden his desire to return to the North-East, although he insists it is too early to start thinking about a summer move.

"I don't know what my future holds," admitted Carrick, who won two full England caps during West Ham's Premiership heyday.

"I've got to get over this game first and see what happens - it is down to the club's finances, so we will have to see what occurs. I would have thought there would be a few changes now they know what is going on and we are still in Division One."

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