Fulham manager Chris Coleman has told Newcastle to hurry up or shut up if they want to sign striker Luis Boa Morte.
The 27-year-old has been quoted in the media in his native Portugal as saying he is keen to play at a big club like Newcastle.
But Coleman was adamant it would take a huge fee for Fulham to part with him.
He said: “If Luis wants to join Newcastle and Newcastle want to buy Luis Boa Morte then they are going to have to pay a hell of a lot of money for him.
“And if they don’t pay a lot of money for him then he will be playing for us, it’s as simple as that.
“If they pay the money – and it will be a lot of money because I don’t know if there is another Luis Boa Morte – then fine.
“If not, he’s staying. If people think it is little Fulham, the nice little club down by the river and that they can pick their best players without paying what they are worth then they are wrong.
“I’m sick of all the talk in all honesty, that Newcastle are bidding £3million. You won’t even get his boots for that.
“We can’t let clubs keep coming in and nicking our best players because if we let him go for £3million that’s what it would be.
“They need to put their money on the table. Otherwise they have got to shut up and let us get on with the season.
“If nothing happens within the next week, because that would give us no time for a replacement, then they need to go away – and that goes for any other club.”
Boa Morte took no part in Saturday’s goalless draw with Celtic at Craven Cottage because of a lack of time on the training ground having been given extra time off following international duties.
