from team talk Toon chief warns Spaniards Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has told Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona to forget about trying to sign £9.5m winger Albert Luque. Rumours are rife in Spain the pair are interested in luring the former Deportivo La Coruna midfielder back to his native country after a disappointing first few months in England. However, Shepherd will repel any approach for a player the Magpies pursued doggedly before finally agreeing to meet Deportivo's asking price. "I've heard about this supposed interest in Albert Luque from Real Madrid and Barcelona but nobody has contacted us," he said. "But we do know Luque is highly regarded by the all the top teams in Spain, where he is rated as one of the top six players in the country. "However, I can categorically say Newcastle United have absolutely no interest in letting Albert Luque go to Spain. "Why would we want to sell a player only a couple of months after signing him, and when he has only played three or four games for us?" Luque, 27, has started only three matches and appeared in one more as a substitute since his switch to Tyneside in August after tearing his hamstring during the 1-1 Premiership draw with Fulham on 10 September. He has shown in flashes the quality in which Newcastle invested so heavily but he has spent the last two matches - the 1-0 win over Arsenal and last Saturday's 4-2 victory at West Ham - on the bench as striker Shola Ameobi has been preferred on the left of midfield. However, he hopes to make the starting line-up once again at Liverpool on Boxing Day as in-from striker Michael Owen makes his first return to Anfield. Reports suggest Real are hoping to tempt the Magpies by offering them former Everton central midfielder Thomas Gravesen - a player they tried to sign while he was still at Goodison Park - in return but with Scott Parker and Emre on the books and Lee Bowyer - for the time being at least - and Amady Faye waiting in the wings they are well served in that department. Don't you mean to say PLEASE PLEASE BUY HIM OFF US