Newcastle agree fee with Liverpool for Guthrie

The 21-year-old, who spent last season at Bolton on loan, becomes Kevin Keegan’ s second signing after Jonas Gutierrez  bought out his contact at Real Mallorca before concluding his own move to St James’ Park last week.

Talk of the Toon: Danny Guthrie, pictured (left) for Bolton battling with Danny Murphy of Fulham, will complete a move to Newcastle

Kevin Keegan was dismayed at the amount he was told he could spend by owner  Mike Ashley, believed to be in the region of £20 million, and desperately needs to add bodies to one of the smallest squads in the Barclays Premier League.

He has been forced to re-evaluate his plans and was alerted to Guthrie’s availability when he was offered the player when Rafa Benitez enquired about  James Milner earlier in the summer.

Keegan, who is ready to offer Derek Fazackerly a role on his coaching staff, is facing another fight to keep volatile French midfielder Charles N’Zogbia.

N’Zogbia was unhappy for the majority of last season and has confirmed he wants  to move to the capital.

'At the end of last season I didn't play a lot, so that has given me desire to  play somewhere else,' he said. 'When I will talk with the coach it will be clearer. My priority is to play. I have dreamt about Arsenal since I was kid. I  would be delighted to join them. It is a famous team that has big coverage in France, but Tottenham is exciting too.

'I have never played in Ligue 1. That could be an experience in my career, but  frankly, it is not my current priority. I am playing in one of the best leagues  in the world, and I feel a little like at home here.'

Newcastle team-mate Shay Given has curbed talk of his own possible move to the  Emirates Stadium.

'I don’t know where the story came from,' he said. 'I’ve said all along that I’m extremely happy living and playing here in Newcastle.

'I want to help to move this club forward and hopefully we’ll get new players  in and strengthen the squad. We want to get this place going.'

Ashley meanwhile has reiterated his desire to have outside investment in the  club he bought 13 months ago.

'It would be very useful if we had some multi-billionaire partners that wanted  a stake in Newcastle United' he said. 'It would help but Newcastle United is  not a thing you would make a profit on.'