Newcastle United have been keeping tabs on Norwegian playmaker Morten Berre.

The Viking Stavanger ace is out of contract at the end of the Norweigan season, which ends in October, and would be available on a free transfer.

The pacy player can operate either as a striker or a left winger and is Viking's record signing, having been bought for £400,000 from FK Haugesund.

Having initially struggled at the club through injury, he has since returned to something close to his best form and received his first full international squad call-up last winter after three caps at Under-21 level.

The 26-year-old's link-up with former Manchester United striker Erik Nevland has seen Viking start the season impressively, unbeaten in their first eight games and lying second behind reigning champions Rosenberg.

A spokesman for Viking admitted that Newcastle had been present at their game against Lillestrom, but said that no bid had been made for Berre.

Wages would not be a problem if Bobby Robson wished to capture Berre. He is currently in dispute with Viking after reportedly demanding £77,000 a year, which would smash the club's wage structure.

But that only works out at under £1500 a week which would be peanuts compared to some of United's top earners, with Alan Shearer on £40,000 a week.

The dispute between Berre and Viking has been going on for several months, and now the Stavanger club have refused to negotiate with Berres' advisor Terje Simonsen, because he is not registered with Fifa.

And Viking manager Benny Lennartsson, resigned to being without the player next season, hit out at the player's represenatives.

"Morten was ready to sign," the Swede insisted. "Then his advisers and agents entered the picture, and since then it has been impossible.

"I'm not counting on Berre being here next season," he went on. "I've got a couple of possible replacements lined up, all foreigners."

Also interesting Bobby Robson is Viking defender Hannu Tihinen, the Finnish international who was on loan with West Ham.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Answers

Steer clear - unregistered advisors and agents getting their oar in, we don't need any more of that.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

If he's demanding £1500 a week I don't think negotiations would be that much of a problem!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Tihinen looked a canny CB when he was with WHU.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Agreed but I don't think he would be much better than O'Brien or Hughes, and probably not the commanding centre half we need. Indeed, would he be better than our Steve Caldwell?

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Not sure DeB - didn't see enough of him, and never saw him live. He looked good on TV, but I've found that can be misleading.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Stuart Pearce was amazed at the way Tihinen would make the effort to block absolutley everything and that he was not afraid to put his head in where Marcellino wouldn't put his arse! (Well he didn't exactly make reference to Marcellino)

He must be a nutter to get this sort of praise from Psycho!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Tihinen is a small nutter. Brave lad. Certainly not afraid of heading the ball. I have only seen him live when he has played for the national team and for what I have seen I'd say he is semi-commanding centre back. Very solid but sometimes gives you a scare with his 'I tackle everything that moves'-style.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Any info on Morten Berre?

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Personally if the club are looking to sign another centre half I would like to see Helder signed up...thought he looked class!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Latest news is that he's on his way to Chewsee to become a Norwegian Blue.......

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

What's with all this pissing around looking at mid twenties, just newly capped players for the left wing.

Go get some body who a) has name recognition, b) known as a quality left winger, Sheeeesh.

Failing that Seth Johnson locally or the young Dutch lad Wilfred Bouma (predict he'll crack it in Europe somewhere if he doesn't move from PSV this summer. Seriously Ruud Van Nistelroy has this lad the thank for his Manu move).

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

I think you may find the reason why we're not signing anyone decent is that we cannot afford them. Not till July 7th when the transfer system is sorted out and by that time anyone worth having will have signed for someone.

It's going to be a long old season!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001