FRENCH champions Lyon are monitoring the after-effects of Newcastle United’s amazing training ground bust-up in the hope of landing frustrated Charles N’Zogbia at a knockdown price.

Lyon, Arsenal, Tottenham and Aston Villa have all shown an interest in the winger in the past but have baulked at the Magpies’ £8m valuation.

However, after Tuesday’s punch up with striker Andy Carroll, N’Zogbia’s future has again been thrown into doubt.

It is little over a week since the 22-year-old reiterated a desire to turn his back on St James’ Park by revealing in the French press that he had “decided to leave to find better exposure”.

Such claims forced manager Joe Kinnear to deny that N’Zogbia would be sold this month and that it was “laughable”

to think that he would sell key players.

But in light of N’Zogbia’s training ground battle with Carroll, sources in France claim that Lyon are keeping an eye on events in the hope that Newcastle will lower their valuation.

Kinnear is finding it difficult to bolster his squad after being told he has £10m to spend on new faces before the window shuts on February 2.

Offloading N’Zogbia would boost that fund, although Kinnear has continued to play down the training ground feud with Carroll.

The scrap is said to have started on the training pitch before spilling into the dressing room and then restarting in the car park.

It was witnessed by Carlisle players warming up for a behind- closed-doors friendly on an adjacent pitch.

But Kinnear said: “It was just handbags and it has been blown out of all proportion. I can’t stop players being passionate, and wouldn’t want to.

I won’t be taking any action.

“It was a very intense, excellent training session, as we always have at the club. It was a fiery session. There was a late challenge and a reaction to it. The players were working to the max – simple as that.”

The incident happened just three days after Joey Barton clashed with Jose Enrique during the defeat at Blackburn, further highlighting the frustrations on Tyneside.

Kinnear, who claims to have been offered a two-year extension to his contract beyond this season, is desperate to bring in signings in an attempt to improve morale in the dressing room.

He fielded a number of foreign trialists against Carlisle and it is understood that former Borussia Dortmund defender Ahmed-Reda Madouni has also been handed the chance to impress.

One player almost certainly going to join until the end of the season is Danish winger Peter Lovenkrands. Kinnear said: “I have passed it to (managing director) Derek Llambias, who is talking to Peter’s agent. He’s thrashing out some sort of deal to the end of the season.”

Kinnear did predict such a deal would have been signed last Friday, although he wanted to see the former Rangers man in match action first and was impressed with his display against Carlisle.

With a free weekend ahead, Kinnear could do with adding a couple of new players ahead of next Wednesday’s trip to Manchester City.

Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and Claudio Cacapa are all on the comeback trail, while Steven Taylor and Barton’s fitness levels are improving.

But with Nicky Butt suspended after being sent off at Blackburn and Danny Guthrie likely to be missing for some weeks with a hamstring injury, Kinnear needs additions.

Keeper Tim Krul has returned at the end of his loan spell with Carlisle.