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Coloccini anxious to return home

Fabrizio Coloccini wants to depart Newcastle © PA Photos

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The father of Newcastle United defender Fabricio Coloccini has once again underlined his son's desire to return to Argentina.

Coloccini, 31, informed the Magpies of his desire to return to Argentina in early January as a result of personal problems. However, with San Lorenzo unable to generate the transfer fee required, the Argentinean club are relying on Newcastle to release the player from his contract.

"Today [Monday] there was an inconclusive meeting," Osvaldo Coloccini, who works at San Lorenzo as director of youth football, told radio show Rock and Closs. "Tomorrow [Tuesday] it will be defined.

"Fabricio is very anxious - he wants an answer, for better or for worse. I think it's time to return to San Lorenzo. We both want the transfer. Newcastle have asked him to wait until May - the issue is whether San Lorenzo will wait until that date. A personal issue is at the root of the problem here."

Alan Pardew wrote in Saturday's programme notes that Newcastle were examining all avenues as they look to keep Coloccini on Tyneside.

"We are looking at every option to try and keep a player who has done so much for the club with us for the future," he said. "Colo is a great guy and a great defender and I hope we can find a solution to this."

The uncertainty surrounding Coloccini's future is a concern for Newcastle, who sit just two points outside the relegation zone, and Pardew said after Saturday's defeat to Reading that the club needs "two or three" additions.

"We're lacking impetus," he said. "The result would have given us some, but we need to strengthen the team, give me some options that will work for us. We definitely need two or three more players in this group. Hopefully we could get them over the line before Villa [on January 29]."

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