• Premier League

Pardew relief as Coloccini commits to Newcastle

Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini will remain with the club for the rest of the season as they bid to retain their Premier League status.

Coloccini, 31, has been the subject of speculation over his future after he informed club officials he wished to return home to Argentina, citing personal problems. Revealing the pair had 'been on a journey' manager Alan Pardew confirmed the situation will be reassessed at the end of the current season.

Pardew said: "Coloccini is going to stay and he is going to remain captain which is fantastic news for us. We managed to persuade him as much as we can that we need him. He has shown fantastic loyalty to stay until the summer at least."

San Lorenzo had been eager to take the Newcastle skipper back to the club he played for on loan from AC Milan in 2000-01.

Despite their interest, with Coloccini committing his long-term future to the club last March, it was unlikely San Lorenzo would be able to meet the valuation set by Newcastle, with the club stating earlier this week it had ended negotiations.

"Finally, after long negotiations, we announce that Fabricio Coloccini will not join the squad of San Lorenzo," they said in a statement. "It was not possible to release the player and therefore the club will look for another alternative to strengthen the defence."

That followed an earlier admission from the player's father Osvaldo, director of youth football at San Lorenzo, that despite his son's wish to return home, the Magpies were keen to hold onto him until May, with reports on Thursday claiming the player had told Newcastle he would not play for them again.

The news will serve as a further boost to Pardew, who prior to signing four new players this week expressed his desire to hold on to Coloccini. Writing in his programme notes before the home defeat to Reading last Saturday, he said: "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. Colo is a great guy and a great defender and I hope we can find a solution to this."

The former Deportivo La Coruna defender will likely keep his place for Tuesday's crunch game against Aston Villa, with Newcastle currently just two points above the relegation zone and looking for their first victory of 2013.

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