NEWCASTLE United yesterday re-engaged with a lingering problem — how best to fill Alan Shearer’s boots — by opening discussions with a player who has experienced Tyneside’s ferocious expectations.

Jon Dahl Tomasson was once dubbed “Jon Dahl Missalot” by supporters, but he has grown in stature since his difficult spell at St James’ Park during the 1997-98 season and is understood to relish the prospect of returning.

Despite pressure on Shearer from Graeme Souness, the Newcastle manager, to postpone his retirement, the former England forward has reiterated that this season will be his last, leaving his club with the pressing task of replacing the seemingly irreplaceable. Patrick Kluivert is not proving equal to the challenge and the Holland player is expected to leave this summer.

That would leave Souness with Craig Bellamy and Shola Ameobi and only then if the latter is persuaded that his first-team opportunities will be more frequent. Strengthening the defence has long been a priority for Newcastle, but they are suddenly looking brittle in attack and they will not be bolstered by Luis Boa Morte, who has committed himself to Fulham.

Frailty was once a criticism of Tomasson, but while the Denmark forward retains a place of honour in the list of dreadful recent Newcastle signings — Andreas Andersson and Stéphane Guivarc’h are among the others — his single year on Gallowgate is the exception to an otherwise impeccable career. At AC Milan, he won the European Cup the season before last, while at Feyenoord he scored the winning goal in the Uefa Cup final in 2002.

Tomasson’s contract with Milan expires at the end of the season and while the 28-year-old may join Marseilles on loan until then, he is aware of interest from Newcastle, whose chairman, Freddy Shepherd, has made contact with his counterparts in Italy.

Tomasson was originally signed by Kenny Dalglish for £2.2 million from Heerenveen in 1997, scoring four goals in 34 appearances. The statistics are not comforting, but his talent was obvious even when often played out of position and, at the age of 19 and 20, he was unfairly compared with the injured Shearer and the recently departed Les Ferdinand. “It would be great to go back and prove that I am a good player,” Tomasson said last year.

Shearer, 34, will not renounce his decision to retire, even though calf and thigh injuries have severely reduced the likelihood of him breaking Jackie Milburn’s record of 200 goals for Newcastle. “I have never given it (retirement) another thought,” he said. “I haven’t changed my mind. I thought I might have had a little chance of getting to Jackie’s record, but I think, realistically speaking, 12 games out has probably put the block on that.”

Souness has watched Yakubu Ayegbeni, the Portsmouth and Nigeria forward, but is not expected to follow up his interest, although Newcastle have been obliged to re-evaluate their transfer targets now that Boa Morte has agreed a contract extension at Craven Cottage. The Portugal winger is highly regarded by Souness, but Fulham were reluctant to sell and have tied Boa Morte down for the next three years.

“I have made no secret of Boa’s importance to the squad,” Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager, said. “After the speculation that has surrounded the last few weeks, I am even more happy that we have finally managed to put pen to paper.”

There may be other repercussions. If Boa Morte had arrived, Newcastle were prepared to use Laurent Robert as bait to attract Sylvain Distin from Manchester City, who have rejected a £5 million bid for their captain. That now seems unlikely and Kevin Keegan should be able to keep Distin, provided that Nicolas Anelka is sold. In turn, Newcastle would then complete the signing of Samuel Kuffour, the Bayern Munich defender.

RETURN TO SENDER

STRIKERS WHO HAVE BROKEN THE GOLDEN RULE AND GONE BACK

Teddy Sheringham
Tottenham Hotspur
(1992-1997, 2001-2003)

Never the quickest mover, Sheringham’s second spell proved that at 35 his mind was still agile as he managed a scoring rate of one goal in every matches three and led Tottenham to the 2002 League Cup final.

Jürgen Klinsmann
Tottenham
(1994-1995, 1997)

Aptly enough, the German’s form took a dive when he returned to North London on loan after a brilliant first spell. Second time around, he helped the club to avoid relegation under Christian Gross’s hapless regime.

John Charles
Leeds United
(1947-1957, 1962)

The Gentle Giant scored 154 goals in 316 games before his world record transfer to Juventus. After huge success in Italy, he returned to Yorkshire — and lasted just three months before high-tailing it back to Serie A.

Ian Rush
Liverpool
(1980-1987, 1988-1995)

A failure at Juventus — Italy was “just like a foreign country” — but not at Anfield, where he collected trophies in abundance in both his spells and scored 346 goals in 660 senior appearances.

RICHARD MOCKETT