Charlton Athletic boss Alan Curbishley was not impressed by reports on Saturday morning linking midfielder Danny Murphy with a January switch to Newcastle. Apparently the deal involves Lee Bowyer going in the other direction, but Charlton claim they know nothing about it.
Curbishley: "There is nothing in the story. There is lots of speculation going on at the moment, but I have not spoken to Graeme Souness since we signed Darren Ambrose in August.
"I did not see him at the game on Wednesday (which was postponed). I have, though, spoken to Danny before today's game, and explained he is in my plans.
"Things are put about, maybe by agents, to unsettle people. There are lots of conversations which go on at different levels in football now, chairman and chief executives, agents to chairman etc, so perhaps someone has put something together and decided to make a story.
"Danny was quite astonished with the way it read, and was a bit put out by it. But I suppose if other clubs are looking at my players, then he certainly has to be one of them."
Souness has asked for funds to buy in the January transfer window.