CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army.  A couple of injury notes and some new names being thrown around as we near the end of January.

News

Hatem Ben Arfa will arrive in Newcastle at the beginning of next month to work on completing his recovery from a broken leg.  The organization says they will give him as much time as he needs. (Lee Ryder, The Chronicle)

Alan Smith's ankle injury will likely keep him out for the rest of the season. (The Guardian)

Gateshead boss Ian Bogie has interest in extending the loans of James Tavernier and Joan Simun Edmundsson. (BBC Sport)

Alan Pardew had another meeting with Mike Ashley about possible transfer movement. (MirrorFootball)

Transfer Rumors

Newcastle have reportedly stepped up efforts to sign Shaun Wright-Phillips, and his agent says that wages will not be a problem, as they were with Seb Larsson. (Mark Douglas, The Journal)

23 year-old striker Nicklas Bendtner is reportedly unhappy with Arsenal, and his name has come up in connection with a lot of clubs, but not Newcastle - until now.  (Footylatest)

34 year-old midfielder Mauro Camoranesi has not really lived up to his billing at Stuttgart, and his name has popped up in connection to the Magpies.  If he's as cheap as the article seems to suggest he might be, I think this could be a good gamble.  Pardew needs depth at midfielder and he could potentially play sort of a mentor role.  Besides, we already know that he looks good in a black and white striped kit. (Sportingo)

The Toon are being connected to Villa flop Stephen Ireland, who commands a lot of wage and doesn't really seem to be a fit for St James' Park at all. (The Daily Mail)