Odemwingie pleads for release

The Premier League's bottom side QPR had a bid for the 31-year-old turned down earlier this month but it was understood that Odemwingie was keen to discuss the move.

He has now put in an official transfer request in an attempt to facilitate his departure but it has been turned down by the Baggies.

Albion's sporting and technical director Richard Garlick said: "Peter is hugely popular with our supporters and it is disappointing that he has decided to hand in a transfer request.

"It was immediately turned down and has done nothing to change our stance during January. Peter is under contract until the summer of 2014 and we have no need or desire to sell our core players.

"We want to keep the squad intact to enable us to build on an encouraging first six months of the season."

Odemwingie has responded with a long statement which read: "I'm deeply hurt and in some ways offended by the lack of reciprocal common respect from the management of West Bromwich Albion.

"During my time at the club I believe I have delivered performances, effort and goals.

"I never complained when I found out that the club failed to inform me of enquiries that might have interested me and my family in the past.

"Everyone knows how much effort and commitment I always give when I play for the club. The fans have been great with me and I will always respect them.

"Some may say I have contributed, along with all my team mates, to the survival of the club in the Premier League in recent seasons.

"At this stage of my career, this opportunity may not come around again. A new challenge, a new opportunity, and a chance to play under the stewardship of one of the most respected managers in the game (Harry Redknapp).

"I hope the management of West Bromwich Albion will accept my transfer request in the manner that I have requested it.

"West Bromwich Albion may argue that I am too vital a member o f the team to allow me to leave now but I could argue that team selection so far this season has not reflected that and there is more than adequate cover for my position currently in the squad, culminating in my playing out of position.

"I have not taken this decision lightly and I would like West Bromwich Albion to accept what, in my opinion, is more than a reasonable offer from QPR for me."

Odemwingie arrived at West Brom in 2010 and has scored 30 goals in 80 appearances for the Baggies.

Coloccini staying with Magpies

After days of delicate negotiation following the 31-year-old defender's request to be allowed to return to Argentina because of personal problems, he has agreed to stay on Tyneside and will continue as skipper.

Manager Alan Pardew said: "Coloccini is going to stay with us and will remain as captain, which is fantastic news for us.

"We have managed to persuade him that, as much as his family, we need him. He has shown fantastic loyalty to come and play and see us through to the summer at the very least."

Friday's news came as a huge boost to Pardew during a week in which the relegation-threatened Magpies have added three more players to their squad following the earlier capture of Mathieu Debuchy.

It began with Coloccini's advisors travelling to Tyneside in an attempt to release him from the new four-year contract he signed just last season, as request which was never likely to be accepted.

Newcastle have no game this weekend after g oing out of the FA Cup at Brighton, but will resume against fellow strugglers Aston Villa in the Premier League on Tuesday evening.

Harry hopes to delay Nelsen exit

Nelsen has been appointed head coach of Toronto FC and the Major League Soccer club expect him to start work on February 1, ensuring Tuesday's Premier League clash with Manchester City will be his final game for Rangers.

When the 35-year-old announced at the start of the month that he would be leaving, Redknapp expected to keep a player he values highly until the latter stages of their relegation battle.

While he is resigned to losing him far sooner, he wants the New Zealand international to be available for the crucial showdown with Norwich at Loftus Road on February 2.

"I need to speak to Ryan, I need him here for the Norwich game," said Redknapp, who revealed Nelsen will be rested for Saturday's FA Cup tie against MK Dons.

"I thought we were talking March 1 when I spoke to Ryan last. Suddenly this has all changed. I'm hoping we can put it back a few days.

"He's been away all week in Canada doing some work for his new club I need him next week - we're desperately short and I need Ryan to play.

"He's got a job to go to and wants to crack on with that. He felt it's an opportunity that may never come along for him again.

"I can understand where he's coming from because it's his future, but I wish he was staying because there haven't been too many better players than him here this year."

Striker Loic Remy and defender Tal Ben Haim have been the only arrivals during an otherwise frustrating transfer window that has seen Redknapp miss out on several targets.

Porto defender Rolando is currently on Redknapp's radar, while a deal for and Chunnam Dragons' South Korean international Yun Suk-young is close to being completed, but neither goalkeeper Julio Cesar nor centre-back Anton Ferdinand will be leaving.

"I've been travelling all over the place, it's been busy. It's difficult. I've taken lots of flights but it's been very hard to actually land anyone," Redknapp said.

"I've been around Europe every day and haven't been home for 12 days. My wife said to me the other day 'I've forgotten what you look like'. I told her I look like Paul Newman, she said 'in your dreams'!

"You think you've got someone and then something else happens and you don't get the player. I'm chasing here, chasing there, and coming up with nothing.

"That's how it's been for the last few weeks and the clock's ticking down now. If we don't get the people I want and a bit of quality, we'll sit tight.

"We got Remy and that was great for us, but we need to strengthen and that's an obvious fact.

"We're still bottom of the league. We've been on a decent run, but we had an horrendous start.

"I still fancy us to get out of this position, but to do that we do need to strengthen a bit."

Redknapp will play a weakened team against npower League One club MK Dons.

"You want to keep winning, that is the key. We've had a five-game unbeat en run and want to continue that," he said.

"But we have Manchester City on Tuesday and Norwich the following Saturday, so the squad will get used tomorrow, and that's no disrespect to MK Dons."

Kagawa unhappy with form

The 23-year-old joined United from German champions Borussia Dortmund in the off-season and has failed to reach the heights he did during his tenure at Signal Iduna Park.

The Japan International, who reportedly cost the Red Devils 17million, was substituted early in the second half in the dramatic 1-1 draw with Spurs at the weekend after another sub-par showing in a red shirt.

"I'm really feeling that I need to perform better," he told the Daily Mirror. "I'm not satisfied with what I have done here at all.

"It's a big and really famous club in the world and I need to overcome lots of pressures and be mentally stronger."

"Unfortunately I got injured, but I have to be better and grow as a player a person, in terms of contributing to team's wins and succeeding here."

Norwich target van Wolfswinkel

Norwich boss Chris Hughton is in the market for a new striker and has made bids for Celtic's Gary Hooper and Swansea's Danny Graham.

Hughton has been frustrated in his attempts to land either Hooper or Graham and he is now thought to have turned his attentions to Dutch ace van Wolfswinkel.

Van Wolfswinkel has been linked with a move to England and the Premier League for some time with the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle all credited with an interest in the player.

The 23-year-old has impressed for Sporting since his arrival from Fc Utrecht in the summer of 2011.

However, with Sporting struggling in eighth spot in the Portuguese Primera Liga they could face a fight to keep hold of him during this month's transfer window.

Hughton is keen to bring in a proven striker and he is hoping to be given the backing to strike a deal for van Wolfswinkel in what would be a major coup for Norwich.

Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel backs under-fire David de Gea

De Gea was criticised for a punch that eventually allowed Clint Dempsey to snatch an injury-time equaliser for Tottenham last weekend.

But Schmeichel, who made almost 300 appearances for the Old Trafford club, believes Sir Alex Ferguson's side would have lost the White Hart Lane contest had it not been for the Spaniard, pointing the finger instead at those in front of him.

"It is very easy to claim De Gea is to blame," said Schmeichel.

"I disagree. I think if De Gea had not played the way he did we would have lost 4-1.

"We played in a way that required the goalkeeper to make saves. He did that. He did his job. Nobody is highlighting that.

"My point is that if you are not that deep, we are not conceding those chances. That is the thing I would work on.

"In general, the way to win championships is not by defending as deeply as we did for the final hour on Sunday.

"For the goal, David does all the right things. He got a f ist to it under pressure but, unfortunately, the ball ends up with a Spurs player.

"We should be further up the pitch. If that starts with the goalkeeper, he needs to work on that, but we need them to be brave enough to take them out."

Newcastle complete Haidara deal

Haidara has signed a five-and-a-half year contract at St James' Park.

He said: "It was the desire of the club to sign me up which was the most important factor.

"It was nothing to do with the league position. It was really all about the club's desire and willingness to sign me up.

"Also, I like the club's ambition to strengthen the whole team so we can improve our league position. That's what appealed to me, so I didn't hesitate."

Toon boss Alan Pardew added: "Massadio is very highly thought of in France and he's somebody who our scouting team have been greatly impressed by.

"At the age of 20, he will only continue to get better but he's already played a lot of games in his country's top division and represented France at under-19, under-20 and under-21 level.

"He's strong and quick and we're looking forward to seeing him develop here."

Yoan Gouffran, meanwhile, has embarked upon his Newcastle career confident relegati on is not on the agenda.

The 26-year-old striker signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at St James' Park after completing a move for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of 1.4million, from Bordeaux.

He arrived with the Magpies sitting just two points clear of the bottom three and facing a big game at fellow strugglers Aston Villa on Tuesday evening.

However, Gouffran, who became Alan Pardew's third January signing after compatriots Mathieu Debuchy and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, is not at all concerned that that situation will persist.

He said: "I am not worried at all. I know the players who play here at Newcastle already. They are fantastic players.

"Newcastle isn't in the position it should be in the league. Whether it's myself or the other players in the team, we are going to try our utmost to make sure we can climb up the league to where we should be.

"I think with the players Newcastle have, we can realistically be aiming to f inish at least in the top eight."

Gouffran's recruitment addressed one of the more pressing issues facing Pardew this month following the departure of leading scorer Demba Ba for Chelsea.

Ba's goals have been seriously missed - the Magpies have scored only twice in the four games they have played since the Senegal international headed for Stamford Bridge - and with Papiss Cisse struggling for form, greater potency was a must as the manager drew up his wish-list.

Having seen QPR counterpart Harry Redknapp gazump him to land first-choice frontman Loic Remy, Pardew will be relieved to have finally got a forward in, and the newcomer is confident he can be a hit on Tyneside.

Asked what qualities he will bring to the club, Gouffran said: "Speed. I am fast and I score goals."

Ba's return of 29 goals in his 18 months at St James' will be a hard act to follow, but Frenchman Gouffran is far from daunted by the task of attempting to follow in his foot steps and form a partnership with Cisse.

He said: "There's not really any added pressure. Yes, I am an attacker; yes, I want to score goals. But we [he and Ba] both have different styles of play.

"I don't really think it's fair to draw any comparisons between both of us. Each player has his own style. Each to his own.

"Papiss Cisse and I played against each other when he was at Metz in France, and he is someone who has really made a lot of progress here at Newcastle and he has scored some great goals. I had a chat with him this morning for the first time. We get on really well. He's a great guy and I have no worries that we can definitely play together well."