Allardyce eyes Russian schemer

Allardyce has already drawn up a list of potential targets as he prepares to enter the January transfer market and the 26-year-old Zenit St Petersburg man features high on it.

The Magpies will be represented in the Middle East this weekend as Russia travel to take on Israel in a Euro 2008 qualifier which will have major ramifications for England.

However, while Allardyce will be hoping the Israelis can do Steve McClaren and the whole nation a favour by taking something from Guus Hiddink's side, his interest will extend beyond the result.

The versatile Arshavin, who can play as a striker, in the hole, as an attacking midfielder or a right-sided midfielder, was voted Russia's player of the year last year.

Rated at around £7million, his acquisition would require a significant outlay by owner Mike Ashley, although Newcastle's failure to sufficiently supply England striker Michael Owen in recent weeks has become a serious concern.

Indeed, the club's last three strikes have been fortuitous with Reading's Michael Duberry and Portsmouth's Sol Campbell scoring own goals and James Milner hardly intending his equaliser at Sunderland on Saturday.

Arshavin has a reputation not only for scoring goals - he has 62 in 265 outings for his club, who clinched their first Russian title in 23 years at the weekend - but also for creating chances.

With Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi already on the books at St James' Park - Allardyce this week rejected an approach from predecessor Glenn Roeder to take Ameobi to Norwich on loan - it seems the manager is looking to address his side's shortcomings behind the front line.

Now a fixture in the national side, Arshavin - reportedly a target for then Tottenham boss Martin Jol earlier this season - was born in St Petersburg and emerged from the Zenit reserve team to make his senior debut in a 3-0 Intertoto Cup win at Bradford in 2000.

Capped for his country at youth level, he was called up to the senior squad for the first time against Belarus in May 2002.

Allardyce worked hard during the summer to reshape his squad, drafting in Viduka, Joey Barton, David Rozehnal, Geremi, Alan Smith, Claudio Cacapa, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye as the likes of Kieron Dyer, Scott Parker, Albert Luque, Nolberto Solano, Titus Bramble and Antoine Sibierski departed.

However, his team remains a work in progress and while he insists there is much more to come amid rumblings of discontent over recent performances, there is little doubt he will look to strengthen once the winter window opens.

He has has had to rebuild his defence almost from scratch - only Stephen Carr and Steven Taylor survived a summer cull - and while the likes of Rozehnal, Beye and Enrique have shown promising signs, they have met a steep learning curve.

Carr has plenty of Premier League experience they lack but is only just approaching full fitness after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The Republic of Ireland international has not played a senior game since the 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough on August 26, and his recovery was one of the reasons for organising yesterday's behind-closed-doors friendly against St Mirren.