Newslines: Merson move

The unsettled Middlesbrough midfielder Paul Merson may be in line for a quick return to London, possibly to link up with his former manager George Graham at Tottenham.

Aston Villa are expected to make a £6 million bid for the England midfielder, who yesterday confirmed his desire to leave the Teesside club.

However, a close member of Merson's family is reported in a North-east newspaper to have said: "If you want to know about Paul's future, talk to David Pleat at Tottenham. He is the one Paul has been talking to."

Merson yesterday denied that Paul Gascoigne was the cause of his unhappiness but admitted he feared that some of his teammates' liking for drinking and gambling would cause him problems as a recovering alcoholic.

"I will go and see Bryan Robson tomorrow and tell him I may have to quit Middlesbrough for the good of my health," Merson told an English newspaper yesterday. "A lot of the players here like to have a drink and a bet. The situation is too much for me." The Middlesbrough manager, Bryan Robson, said yesterday he would not comment until he had discussed the situation face-to-face with Merson. "I will not sit down with him until after training so there will be no statement tomorrow. I will answer questions at the usual prematch press conference on Tuesday," he said yesterday.

Meanwhile Newcastle United have denied reports that the Italian Serie A club Parma have made a £14 million bid to reunite Alan Shearer with his former team-mate Faustino Asprilla.

The Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Parma made an approach for Shearer in June, but baulked at Newcastle's £21.1 million asking price and tried to sign Fiorentina's Argentinian forward Gabriel Batistuta instead.

When Batistuta chose last month to stay at Fiorentina, Parma are said to have re-opened negotiations with Newcastle after they apparently lowered their asking price.

Since the arrival of new boss Ruud Gullit, stories have circulated linking the Newcastle striker with a big-money move. However, United maintain that chief executive Freddie Fletcher's summer statement that Shearer is not for sale at any price continues to be club policy. They insist there is nothing more to say.