Newcastle are refusing to become involved in the soap opera surrounding the future of Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

The Magpies woke to headlines suggesting they could make a cut-price £10million swoop to end the 23-year-old's miserable year on Merseyside.

However, as they attempt to fend off any interest in their current leading marksman, Demba Ba, the Tyneside club played down speculation that Carroll could be heading back to the north-east.

It's understood there has been no contact between the two clubs, and the towering frontman's camp have insisted they have neither been told to look for, nor are they seeking, a new club for a man whose £35million switch to Anfield 12 months ago caught the footballing world by surprise.

In addition, Carroll himself has told friends he will not be returning to Newcastle with Luis Suarez's eight-game suspension likely to hand him the chance to finally establish himself in Kenny Dalglish's team.

The link with Carroll is perhaps understandable with Ba, the man who has taken over his mantle on Tyneside with such aplomb since the summer, having himself been thrust into the headlines in recent days.