It's still nil-nil

With the club now half way through the transfer window, it seemed an appropriate moment to take stock.

This shouldn't take long...

Players In: 0
Players Out: 0

In truth, the players out column is perhaps the more important, with Messers Owen, Given and N'Zogbia all seemingly inching towards the door, although in the case of the Zog he appears to be standing in the window with more flesh on display than you'd see walking through downtown Amsterdam on an evening.

The one player who does look to be on his way out is Geremi, with a reported bid from Besiktas likely to see the player off to Turkey.

Coming the other way, the press have been full of their usual mixed bag of gossip and rumour. Latest players mentioned in dispatches include Rennes midfield Stephane Mbia, St Etienne's Bafetimbi Gomis, and West Ham's Lucas Neill (much to their annoyance). Chances are that none will actually materialise. Equally whilst Peter Lovenkrands remains at the club on trial the delay in agreeing a deal with the player suggests he isn't proving to be the player JFK had hoped.

In other news, the Guardian's pet mackem has, for once, written something I completely agree with, and spoken for us all in her appraisal of Fat Sam's dismal tenure in charge of Newcastle.