Newcastle Transfer Rumour: Championship Duo Coveted Amid Ravel Morrison Hiatus

Newcastle are targeting lower league starlets Wilfried Zaha and Jay Rodriguez after their bid for Manchester United youngster Ravel Morrison fell through, according to local media, with Alan Pardew looking to build on his attacking options for the long term.

Zaha has starred for Crystal Palace since moving from the youth team to the senior squad in 2010. The 19-year-old has been the subject of interest from numerous English clubs, with Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedmand claiming that Manchester United and Liverpool were both chasing the youngster.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, has scored 14 times in 32 appearances for Burnley this season, and with the club currently mid-table in the Championship, the offer of Premier League football will inevitably be hard to resist.

Newcastle were chasing Morrison, whose contract at United runs out this summer, but Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed at the start of the month that they had turned down an offer from the Toon to continue contract discussions with the playmaker.

"His agent has been working hard to get him another club," Ferguson said, as reported by the Daily Mail.

"We've offered him terms which he has refused. His demands are unrealistic. We've rejected an offer from Newcastle."

The north Eastern club are ready to leave the situation with Morrison until the summer at least, the Journal claims, and will concentrate on pursuing Zaha and Rodriguez instead.

Pardew is believed to be happy with his forward line, but remains keen to add greater depth to his squad, and with Alan Smith's contract running out this summer, and Peter Lovenkrands, according to the Daily Mail, keen to leave Newcastle, more options up front are needed.

Newcastle started the season in hugely impressive fashion, staking a claim for a Champions League spot despite many tipping them as relegation candidates following a summer of unrest.

And though the likse of Arsenal, Chelsea and the Manchester clubs have shown their dominance over the course of the season so far, Newcastle are still sixth and above Liverpool in the table.

So far this winter, Pardew has brought in Papiss Demba Cisse, and although he says the club aren't necessarily looking at making any more signings in January, he has suggested that would be the case in December prior to the aforementioned striker's arrival at St James' Park.