FOR the second year in succession, Graeme Souness will spend the second half of the season trying to talk Alan Shearer out of retirement after admitting the Newcastle skipper was "impossible to replace".

Shearer, who had initially been due to hang up his boots in May, agreed to play for one more season after Souness urged him to put his retirement plans on hold in the spring.

The Magpies manager promised to use the striker sparingly this term but, thanks to a combination of injury and Shearer's fine form, he has struggled to stick to his pledge.

The 35-year-old has missed just one game all season - November's 3-0 defeat at Chelsea - and that absence came as he was recovering from a hernia operation.

Last weekend's strike at West Ham was his seventh in all competitions, a haul that has taken him to within one goal of equalling Jackie Milburn's all-time record for the Magpies.

That landmark is likely to be overhauled during the packed Christmas period and, while Shearer always denied it was a significant factor in his decision to postpone his retirement, overhauling Milburn would leave the United skipper with little else to achieve in his playing days.

Nevertheless, Souness has not given up hope of persuading him to reconsider for a second time. The Scot has sensed a renewed relish in Shearer's play since Michael Owen returned to action at the start of the month and is hoping to capitalise on it by proposing a further extension to his talisman's career.

"We'll see what happens over the next six months," said Souness, who is expected to rest his skipper in at least one of Newcastle's four games over the festive period. "I certainly wouldn't close any doors, that would have to come from him.

"If he's still playing like he has in recent weeks, he still has an enormous part to play.

"When we first talked about his retirement, I said I do not see a player on the training ground who is ready to pack in. Nothing has happened in the last six months to suggest that.

"I think that, since his hernia operation - and only he knows how much that was holding him back - he looks to have found another yard from somewhere.

"That, coupled with the fact he's now playing with Michael, means he's really enjoying himself. They have an understanding that obviously goes back to when they played together for England.

"When we talked about him re-signing, we said we would look after him and try to keep him well rested. We're nearly in 2006 and we haven't been able to do that.

"He's been in the firing line every week and he's really enjoying it, but this probably isn't the best time to be talking about what's going to happen in the future."

Should Shearer refuse to reconsider, though, Souness will be left with the unenviable task of having to replace the irreplaceable.

While Owen's arrival has given Newcastle a different dimension in attack, much of the Magpies' play still revolves around Shearer's strength and ability to hold up the ball with his back to goal.

Few other strikers could fill the same role, a fact exacerbated by a likely lack of funds following Souness' £28m spending spree in the summer.

"Alan is irreplaceable," admitted the Newcastle boss. "There isn't another player out there who can do what he does.

"I would imagine we would have to try and find someone different to that, because I couldn't name another player that plays like Alan.

"The only people who play that way are British and, as I look around at the moment, I can't see an obvious one out there."

While Souness' assessment of his striking options proves he is already looking to the future, his short-term target is to extend his side's two-game winning run at Anfield.

The former Liverpool midfielder was given a timely boost yesterday, with confirmation that five members of his first-time squad will be ready to return from injury next week.

Celestine Babayaro and Charles N'Zogbia will definitely be in the squad that travels to Merseyside, while Emre and Steven Taylor will undergo fitness tests tomorrow morning.

Full-back Stephen Carr is also back in full training, although he is more likely to make his return in Wednesday night's home game with Charlton.

* Wigan have confirmed the signing of Austria centre-back Paul Scharner for a fee in the region of £2million.

The 25-year-old could make his debut for Paul Jewell's side against Leeds in the FA Cup third round on January 4.

Given the rules of the transfer market, Wigan cannot officially call Scharner their player until the start of January, but all details have been agreed with his Norwegian club Brann Bergen, and with the player.

Scharner was also interesting Birmingham, but the possibility of playing in Europe with the Latics next season proved attractive.

Scharner said: ''Wigan is a club in a great position with a big ambition. They want to be one of the best clubs in the country and that is exactly the same as me.

"To play in the Premiership is a dream for me.''

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.