Newcastle offer Leeds 'sweetener' for Smith.

Alan Smith has become a problem for Newcastle United. It's a shame really, but there is no room for sentiment in football.

Smith has been the ultimate professional during his time with us. He's never kicked up a fuss, never got in any trouble or controversy off the field and is supposed to be one of those senior voices within the dressing room. Unfortunately it's the football side of things that lets him down.

At the age of 30, Alan Smith has found himself in an awkward position. He no longer has what it takes to play in the Premier League week in and week out. Partly due to injury and partly due to the position in which he plays, he has become surplus to requirements and has been told that he can leave Newcastle if he chooses.

As I said at the start though, this is not a sentimental decision, not from the NUFC perspective anyway. They want his wages off the books, quite rightly when you consider that the club are shelling out £60,000-a-week for a player that is of no real use to us.

The problem with that wage is that nobody is willing to match it, which is why no club will come in for him. Leeds have been sniffing around, but they can't afford to pay him anywhere near what we have to each week. It's a shame as I'm sure Smith would quite fancy a return to the place where it all began for him, but I'm not sure he would want to drop his wages by so much in the process.

Luckily there is a solution, according to The Sun anyway. Apparently Newcastle will agree to pay Alan Smith £30,000-a-week for the remainder of his contract with Leeds stumping up a further £15,000-a-week to take his wages to £45,000-a-week.

Now I know it's The Sun and it may well be bollocks, but it would certainly be a move that would make business sense. Paying Smith £30,000-a-week would save the club £1.56 million over the next year which is not to be sneezed at. Then next season, when Smith's contract runs out, they would obviously save the rest.

I'm not a fan of paying people money to move clubs, but it's the only way we are going to shift him on in my opinion. There is a cost saving to be had and Smith gets more football. Everyone is happy, right? It would seem that way.

As with all rumours/gossip etc, exercise caution when believing them!