NEWCASTLE manager Sir Bobby Robson has admitted that he would love to bring Celtic forward Henrik Larsson to St. James' Park.

Robson has completely dispelled any lingering hopes of Larsson arriving at St James's Park in January to solve Newcastle's striker crisis.

"Celtic are in Europe like we are - we could meet them in the UEFA Cup - so we can forget about Larsson until the summer", said Robson.

"But he's a player we'll consider setting our sights on when we finally know he is moving on from Celtic and is on the open market.

"He's 32 years of age and playing in an easy league but when he's come to European football, he has still looked a class act.

"We are comparing him with other players we are looking at".

Newcastle United are also monitoring Leeds star Alan Smith, Standard Liege's Belgian international Emile Mpenza and maintain an interest in Barcelona's Patrick Kluivert.

Robson is also looking to strengthen the rightback position and has been strongly linked with Tottenham's Steve Carr and Ajax's Hatem Trabelsi.

But the United manager added: "There are some players that we like, but in terms of the club going out and spending money this month, I don't think so."

And Robson has no doubts that a Larsson-Shearer partnership would work.

"Alan is Alan. He won't change - and doesn't need to. But Larsson would be a player who could play with him.

"I think Larsson could play with anybody who's intelligent.

"Strikers, if they have a football brain, can build a telepathy with each other."