OLYMPIAKOS are ready to hand Newcastle United's Nikos Dabizas a return ticket to Greece.

Dabizas was one of five players transfer-listed yesterday as the Magpies began clearing the decks.

Left-backs Robbie Elliott and Wayne Quinn, and midfielders Clarence Acuna and Jamie McClen, have also been made available.

Olympiakos, who sold Dabizas to United for £2m over five years ago during the reign of Kenny Dalglish, would be happy to take him back to the port of Piraeus.

Greece skipper Dabizas, 30 in August, could also attract interest in his homeland from AEK Athens.

Newcastle are likely to ask for up to £500,000 for Dabizas, who leads his country against Spain tomorrow.

All five players listed are under contract with United until the end of next season at least.

With Sir Bobby Robson well covered in midfield, the writing was on the wall for Chilean Acuna and Geordie McClen, two players who have had brushes with the law off the field.

Acuna cost £1.2m from Universidad de Chile nearly three years ago and is now likely to join a club in South America.

McClen, a loanee with Motherwell in season 2000-01, could be a target for Scottish clubs.

The 24-year-old from Cramlington will be bitterly disappointed that he has failed to convince Robson of his worth after signing a new three-year contract last summer.

Gosforth-born Elliott rejoined Newcastle on a free from Bolton two years ago, while Quinn has likewise been unable to command a first-team place and been hampered by injury since his £800,000 arrival from Sheffield United in February 2001.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are prepared to cash in on Peruvian winger Nolberto Solano if Celtic harden their £3m interest.

Scotland centre-back Steve Caldwell, out of contract at the end of the month, is set to spurn a late approach from Borussia Moenchengladbach and join Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.

And Dutch goalkeeper John Karelse - Ruud Gullit's last signing - has returned to Holland on a free.

Newcastle have also confirmed that James Beaumont and Ross Gardner, the youngsters whose complaints of bullying and intimidation against academy coaches Kenny Wharton and Peter Beardsley were rejected by a Premier League tribunal, have been listed.

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