By Matthew Jones
June 26 2002

Newcastle will discover whether left-back Olivier Bernard will be allowed to move to West Ham at a Premiership tribunal today. Newcastle will discover whether left-back Olivier Bernard will be allowed to move to West Ham at a Premiership tribunal today.

The Magpies are contesting the player's proposed move to Upton Park by claiming the Lyon old boy still has a legally binding one-year extension to his contract at St James' Park.

Bernard and his representatives, however, insist the player is a free agent and the tribunal is expected to rule this afternoon on whether he can complete a switch to London and whether any compensation would be due.

Either way, it now seems highly unlikely that Bobby Robson will try to make an unhappy player return to Tyneside.

Meanwhile, Robson has been linked with a move for another Frenchman - at Bernard's old club.

Jeremie Brechet can play in central defence but is more accustomed to a wing-back role on either flank - meaning he could provide competition for Bernard's left-sided position.

Brechet, rated in the £4million bracket by his club, has one cap to his name, and the 22-year-old is being tipped to become a regular international over the next couple of years.