Newcastle \'suicidal\' to let Joey Barton go

Barton has been transfer listed and told that he is free to leave Newcastle despite having a year remaining on his contract, with the club's hierarchy believed to have run out of patience with the player, who has questioned the board's decisions in recent weeks via his Twitter account. They have now decided that Barton, who was an integral part of the side last year under both Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew, should seek pastures new. Yet Willie McKay, Barton's agent, says his client would have been happy to sign a new deal and take a wage cut to stay at the club, and that the Newcastle board are making a mistake in allowing him to leave. He told talkSPORT: “I was totally surprised when they never offered him a contract. I think it’s a wee bit suicidal by Newcastle because how would you let your player of the year leave on a free transfer, approaching his prime. “He had a great season last year and he was, for me, pivotal for the club getting £35 million for Andy Carroll because he passed every ball to Andy Carroll, for every goal. “Derek Llambias and Mike Ashley stood by Joey when he was under real pressure so I’m not going to come out and slag off Newcastle’s board but I think they have made a mistake. He was going to take a drop in wages to sign a new contract.” Interest in Barton is expected to be high, and McKay says that he has already fielded calls from a number of "top clubs" for his client, who he believes could do a job in the Champions League. “There will be a lot of takers,” continued McKay. “Joey would hope to go to a top club and in actual fact a couple of top clubs have been in contact already. “There won’t be a problem finding Joey a home. He’s a very good player and approaching his prime. I just can’t understand what Newcastle are doing. I think he is capable of playing Champions League. He’s a very good player."