Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has confessed that Demba Ba could well leave the club in January.
The Senegal international is said to be frustrated with a lack of opportunities for the Magpies, with the African forward being used from the bench by the Sports Direct Arena side of late.
With negative comments in the press by the player’s agent, Pardew has stated that a £7 million buyout clause in Ba’s contract could cause problems when the transfer window reopens.
“There is that clause in his contract and it makes us vulnerable. It’s still open in the next window,” Pardew told reporters, published on BBC Sport.
“‘I have spoken to Demba [about his agent] and told him I was disappointed with some of the comments around him. Sometimes it’s out of his control and out of my control.
“But we know each other well enough, and I’ve got no problems with him, because he is a team player who wants to do his best for the team. He has always been like that.
“I just think the agent stuff was people saying things they shouldn’t say, really. It doesn’t really affect myself and Demba, because we’ve got a very good relationship,” he concluded.
Ba has been left out of the largely fringe 19-man squad that will travel to Portugal to take on Maritimo in the Europa League on Thursday.
By Gareth McKnight