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NEWCASTLE UNITED strike duo Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins are wanted by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners chief is set to turn his attentions to Tyneside, after Barcelona confirmed they are in talks with talisman Thierry Henry about a move to the Spanish giants.
Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano confirmed to Spanish sports newspaper Marca that talks with the French star over a reported £16m deal were at an "advanced" stage.
And Soriano revealed that it was "the wish of all parties" for an agreement to be reached for the transfer of Henry, who could be presented as a Barca player on Monday if the move goes through this weekend.
With the Gunners facing up to life without the club's all-time record goalscorer, Wenger is targeting the Magpies for his replacement.
The Frenchman is an admirer of both Owen and Martins and spoke to then United boss Glenn Roeder when the two sides met on Easter Monday.
Wenger approached Roeder telling him that if he felt unable to play both players in the same side, he would be more than happy to take either off his hands.
Now with Henry, 29, set to make the switch from the Emirates Stadium to the Camp Nou, the Arsenal boss is likely to return to St James's Park and ask United which of the two strikers they are prepared to let go.
Ideally, new Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce would like to keep hold of both his star forwards, but the decision could be out of his and
the club's hands.
Both Martins and Owen have get-out clauses in their current contracts and that means should Arsenal stump up the sum required, either could leave St James's Park, whether United liked it or not.
Martins can leave if a club offers £13m, while England international Owen's get-out fee is £9m.
Both of those sums will be within Wenger's budget with the sale of Henry set to fetch £16m.
The one sticking point over any move could be the uncertainty of Wenger's future at the North London club.
Like Henry, the Gunners boss has been unsettled by the shock exit of vice-chairman David Dein last season.
Wenger has just one year left on his contract and has so far been unwilling to say whether or not he is prepared to extend his stay. And reports suggest that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are monitoring the situation with a view to snapping up the Arsenal manager.
NEWCASTLE UNITED strike duo Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins are wanted by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners chief is set to turn his attentions to Tyneside, after Barcelona confirmed they are in talks with talisman Thierry Henry about a move to the Spanish giants.
Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano confirmed to Spanish sports newspaper Marca that talks with the French star over a reported £16m deal were at an "advanced" stage.
And Soriano revealed that it was "the wish of all parties" for an agreement to be reached for the transfer of Henry, who could be presented as a Barca player on Monday if the move goes through this weekend.
With the Gunners facing up to life without the club's all-time record goalscorer, Wenger is targeting the Magpies for his replacement.
The Frenchman is an admirer of both Owen and Martins and spoke to then United boss Glenn Roeder when the two sides met on Easter Monday.
Wenger approached Roeder telling him that if he felt unable to play both players in the same side, he would be more than happy to take either off his hands.
Now with Henry, 29, set to make the switch from the Emirates Stadium to the Camp Nou, the Arsenal boss is likely to return to St James's Park and ask United which of the two strikers they are prepared to let go.
Ideally, new Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce would like to keep hold of both his star forwards, but the decision could be out of his and
the club's hands.
Both Martins and Owen have get-out clauses in their current contracts and that means should Arsenal stump up the sum required, either could leave St James's Park, whether United liked it or not.
Martins can leave if a club offers £13m, while England international Owen's get-out fee is £9m.
Both of those sums will be within Wenger's budget with the sale of Henry set to fetch £16m.
The one sticking point over any move could be the uncertainty of Wenger's future at the North London club.
Like Henry, the Gunners boss has been unsettled by the shock exit of vice-chairman David Dein last season.
Wenger has just one year left on his contract and has so far been unwilling to say whether or not he is prepared to extend his stay. And reports suggest that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are monitoring the situation with a view to snapping up the Arsenal manager.
