• Talks between Chelsea and Ba's representatives unproductive
• Alan Pardew intends to retain the striker
Chelsea's hopes of signing the Newcastle striker Demba Ba have suffered an early blow after unproductive discussions over his future.
It is understood that club officials met the 27-year-old's representatives last night but that the deal on the table did not come close to meeting the level he considers would make leaving St James' Park worthwhile.
However, while the Ba camp has indicated that the Senegal international does not now expect to be playing his football at Stamford Bridge next month, it is likely that the impasse represents only the initial skirmish in a battle which could run and run.
The Blues are among a series of clubs to have been linked with the former West Ham centre-forward, who scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season at Arsenal on Saturday, with the £7 million release-clause in his contract due to become active once again on Tuesday.
But the Magpies insist they are yet to receive a bid that would trigger that clause. The deal Ba signed when he joined Newcastle during the summer of 2011 was intensely complicated because of the condition of his knee – and they have spent recent months attempting to renegotiate it.
However, the two sides have been unable to reach agreement and with the player's network of representatives clearly active behind the scenes, the waters have become increasingly muddied.
What is clear is that any deal would cost significantly more than £7m when signing-on and agent fees, as well as a lucrative salary, are taken into consideration.
Alan Pardew, the Newcastle manager, is keen to retain the services of a man who scored 16 goals last season, and insists that the player has never given any indication that he would like to leave. However, the prospect of Champions League football and a significantly higher pay deal may yet prove decisive.
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