NEWCASTLE will be offered first refusal on former centre-half Jonathan Woodgate at the end of the season as Spanish giants Real Madrid look to offload him for a £6m fee.

Madrid chairman Florentino Perez has finally agreed to cut his losses on the England international after shelling out £13.5m to prise him from the Magpies in the summer of 2004.

And, while a host of clubs are likely to pursue an interest in Woodgate, sources in Spain have confirmed the existence of a "gentleman's agreement" that gives Newcastle first call over his services.

Newcastle's defence has struggled to recover from the blow of Woodgate's departure 18 months ago. The Middlesbrough-born defender was beset by injury problems during his time on Tyneside, but his 37 appearances for the Magpies were enough to underline his undoubted ability.

Both chairman Freddy Shepherd and former manager Sir Bobby Robson were reluctant to lose the 26-year-old but, crucially, their close working relationship with Real Madrid enabled them to pave the way for his possible return.

Perez is understood to have given Shepherd a verbal guarantee that Newcastle would be offered Woodgate at market value were Real to sell him.

The Spaniards are preparing a significant summer overhaul of their squad and, despite his recovery from a long-term groin problem, the defender is expected to be one of the players moving on to make way for new additions.

"It is fairly common knowledge that Woodgate will be leaving in the summer," said a Madrid source. "It is also fairly common knowledge that he will be offered to Newcastle first.

"Perez has never tried to hide the fact that this is the case and he is not a man who goes back on his word once he has given it to people he is close to."

Crucially, Shepherd has never tried to hide his desire to bring the North-Easterner back to St James' Park.

The Magpies chief sent Woodgate a telegram before he finally made his Real Madrid debut last September and, as recently as last August, was discussing the possibility of a return to Tyneside.

"Jonathan still keeps in touch with the lads," said Shepherd, following Michael Owen's £16m move from Madrid to Newcastle. "He watched Michael's unveiling on television and thought it was fantastic.

"He still has the club at heart and I told him that the number six shirt was still on the hook. We have got a very close relationship with Real Madrid because of the deal with Jonathan Woodgate."

That relationship led to discussions last October regarding the possibility of a pre-season friendly between the two clubs and, while the Magpies are hardly awash with cash following the dismissal of Graeme Souness, they would do everything possible to raise the £6m asking price for Woodgate's return.

Next summer's transfer budget will depend on what happens with Owen but, even if the striker was to remain at St James', Newcastle officials would look at various ways of funding the deal.

That could involve using Albert Luque as part payment following the winger's criticism of Newcastle's playing style in the Spanish press.

Luque, who is yet to feature in a 16-man squad picked by caretaker boss Glenn Roeder, has admitted he left the ground after being omitted from the side that beat Portsmouth earlier this month.

And, in an outburst reminiscent of former Magpies winger Laurent Robert, the former Deportivo wideman has questioned the wisdom of Newcastle's long-ball game.

"The truth is that it is a different type of football if you do not go to a sharp-shooting team - Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester," Luque told Spanish newspaper La Voz de la Galicia. "Except for those four, the others practise a direct English game with force.

"The talent is not what they look for at this moment in Newcastle, more so in this situation.

"The only thing they want is that those who play run 100 per cent, that the defenders send direct balls, and the forwards fight for them."

Luque, who took part in extra training sessions last week, also claimed Roeder had failed to give him an explanation for his absence from the first-team squad.

"He has not given me an explanation, nor am I going to request one," he said. "He is the one who picks the team so I accepted the situation. But, to my surprise, he has left me out and I do not know why.

"I continue thinking positive in spite of the disadvantages I have had. I want to demonstrate that I can play here without problems."

* Charles N'Zogbia has defended team-mate Jean-Alain Boumsong and claimed the French centre-half remains a highly respected figure in his homeland.

Boumsong has found himself under fire in recent weeks as a series of shaky displays have contributed to Newcastle's slide down the Premiership table.

But, with the former Rangers defender almost certain to be named in the French World Cup squad, N'Zogbia has been surprised by the level of criticism he has received.

"Jean-Alain is a really good defender," said N'Zogbia. "Ask anyone involved with the national team and they will tell you just how highly rated he is in France."

"He has had a bit of criticism over here and I have been very surprised by that. But I don't think anyone can question how good he is - he will be going to the World Cup with France and that is every Frenchman's dream."

* Newcastle have appealed against Celestine Babayaro's dismissal in Saturday's 2-1 win at Aston Villa.

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