Newcastle United must up their contract offer if they're to sign Bolton Wanderers defender Tal Ben Haim.

The Evening Chronicle says United will have to improve their offer to Ben Haim if they are going to pip Chelsea for his signature.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has already informed Ben Haim's man, top agent Pini Zahavi, that he is willing to pay the Israeli defender £60,000 a week in his bid to get him to Stamford Bridge.

Ben Haim is getting married in Tel Aviv this weekend and would love his football future decided before then.

And he knows that he will walk straight into the United defence while he would probably only be cover for John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho in West London.