Newcastle have ordered Laurent Robert to honour his contract after he suggested he wanted to return to former club Paris St Germain.

Rober admitted he was unhappy at being left out of the starting eleven by new manager Graeme Souness, but Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd was in no mood to indulge the Frenchman.

Shepherd said: “I have told Paris St Germain to put up or shut up.

“And after speaking to them, I can tell him that they are saying they are not interested in taking him back.”

“First they tell me they could not afford his transfer fee and neither could they pay him the wages he has been picking up at St James’ Park.

“He has 20 months left on his contract and he should honour it. After all, we are honouring our contract with him.”

Robert had said: “I am often a sub. (Former manager) Bobby Robson placed his confidence in me. That’s no longer the case under the new manager.

“It would interest me to play for PSG and I have heard talk of interest from Valencia, that would be equally good.”