Revealed: Newcastle's shock moves for Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal targets

Sam Allardyce had some big names in mind during his spell at Newcastle

SAM ALLARDYCE has revealed he tried to sign Luka Modric, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka during his time at Newcastle.

 

Allardyce was appointed Sunderland boss during the international break, replacing Dick Advocaat at the Stadium of Light.

And with the Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday (12pm), the 61-year-old is preparing to take on his former club.

Allardyce was sacked as Magpies boss in 2008 after just seven months in charge at St James' Park.

 

Everton duo Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka could have ended up at Newcastle

 

Luka Modric was a Newcastle target before he joined Tottenham

He brought eight players to Newcastle during his spell but has revealed his targets in the transfer market were replaced by lesser names.

"We tried for Leighton Baines at Wigan and Phil Jagielka at Sheffield United, but I got Jose Enrique from Villarreal and eventually Habib Beye from Marseille and Abdoulaye Faye from Bolton on transfer deadline day,’ Allardyce wrote in his new book Big Sam: My Autobiography.

"I was then on the way to getting Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb, but by then, Mike saw the scale of the full debt and put the clamps on, so I had to make do with Geremi from Chelsea."

 

Allardyce was not the only manager who failed to land the trio.

David Moyes saw his attempts to bring Baines to Manchester United rebuffed, while Arsene Wenger's courtship of Jagielka to Arsenal ended in nothing.

Chelsea tried to sign Modric while he was at Tottenham but the Croatian opted for Real Madrid.