Newcastle United unwilling to soften their stance on Joey Barton

Newcastle United remain resolute in their intention to offload Joey Barton and will ignore any attempts from the midfielder to broker a truce. Barton was handed a free transfer after criticising the club's spending policy on Twitter but has still to find a new club and is scheduled to work out alone when Alan Pardew's squad return to training on Thursday following a day off. Newcastle's manager feels Barton's presence is capable of poisoning the atmosphere in his dressing room to such an extent that the 28-year-old is expected to continue training in isolation and will not be involved in games until his departure. That exit may not be as hasty as originally hoped after it emerged that despite being offered to assorted Premier League, Championship and overseas clubs, there is not exactly a stampede to sign Barton. Although on Tuesday the midfielder's agent, Willie McKay, claimed "six" Premier League clubs were showing serious interest, by such suitors seemed to have turned a little coy, with Stoke City appearing to be the only top-flight club openly keen on acquiring him. While Sam Allardyce would be happy to reunite Barton with his old friend Kevin Nolan in West Ham United's midfield it is understood that after replenishing their squad this summer, the Upton Park club lack the funds to pay what Barton is accustomed to. Several clubs are deterred by the baggage that comes with Barton's troubled history and others cannot match his near £70,000 a week wages. Although the player would be willing to accept a pay cut, it is unclear how far he would be prepared to lower his demands. There is a feeling that, should serious interest from elsewhere remain unforthcoming, Barton may be tempted to pledge his renewed loyalty to Newcastle and do everything in his powers to stay put. Judging by Twitter outpourings, there seemed a shift on Wednesday when a player with a year outstanding on his Newcastle contract tweeted: "Just because ur [sic] are told to jump it does not necessarily mean u have to. I may choose to stay perfectly still. It's my right...just a thought." Any conciliatory tone was, however, rather undermined by another tweet, possibly prompted by suggestions that Newcastle may be poised to ban their players from using Twitter. Quoting the former US president George Washington, Barton, said: "If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter." The left-back José Enrique, meanwhile, has closed his Twitter account after being, like Barton, fined two weeks' wages for using it to criticise Newcastle's modus operandi but although he is thought to be inching closer to a long-desired move to Liverpool, Newcastle are yet to receive a bid from the Anfield club.