By Matthew Jones
January 20 2003

With just 10 days to go before the close of January's transfer window, Robson knows time is running out to secure a quality centre-half. Woodgate was Robson's first choice but now the talks seemed to have calmed down. Jaap Stam too was once an option, but who will Bobby choose? Newcastle United boss Sir Bobby Robson has not ruled out major spending to turn his team into championship contenders.

With just 10 days to go before the close of January's transfer window, Robson knows time is running out to secure a quality centre-half.

He told the Sunday Sun: "To go from where we are to being above Arsenal won't be achieved with a miracle, it will be with investment.

"That's the only way we can go from where we are to where we'd like to be, which is champions.

"Arsenal make investments. Manchester United make investments. That's what's got them where they are.

"You can't tell me Veron, Ferdinand and Van Nistelrooy haven't improved Manchester United's chances of recapturing the title, or that bringing in Gilberto Silva and the signings of Henry, Wiltord, Ljungberg and Pires haven't made Arsenal tick.

"Investment will be the only way we get above them.

"It won't be through the youth policy - that's a long-term thing - it will be through the injection of quality players into the side.

"I'm not going to say how many players we need to win the title but investment is the only way we can do it."

Robson continued, "The chairman is ambitious and so am I.

"He's matching my ambition and I'm matching his and we still have to look to buy.

"He's keeping his powder dry, which I think is right, but I think that if we knew the right player was available at the right price, the chairman would be in a position to say: `We'll go for that.' He knows that's what we need."