Rumour Mill:  Manchester United have rejected Newcastle's offer for defender Wes Brown.

The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer, having turned down the Old Trafford club's final offer of a new deal.

And Toon boss Sam Allardyce sees him as the perfect man to bolster the struggling Toon's shaky defence.

But Alex Ferguson turned down big Sam's bid for the player on Friday, and says the matter is now in Brown's hands.

"There was an enquiry from Newcastle about Wes and we turned it down," Fergie told the club's official website. "The matter rests with Wes and his agent. We'll just wait and see what happens. Our offer is still there - it's now up to Wes."

Meanwhile Allardyce is also maintaining his interest in Tal Ben-Haim, whom he tried to sign on a free transfer form his old club during the close-season, but was beaten to the punch by Chelsea.

The Israel international has found his chances limited at Stamford Bridge, although has been involved in recent games because of the absence of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho.

However, the Blues are said to have placed a £2million price tag on his head.

Ferguson rules out January spending

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has ruled out making any new signings during the January transfer window.

A number of players - including Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov and Rangers defender Alan Hutton - have been linked with a possible switch to Old Trafford now the transfer window is open.

However, Ferguson says he has no plans to bring in any new faces as he is happy with the squad at his disposal.

"It is the old game they play," noted Ferguson. "Everyone's trying to play a game, trying to create speculation about who you are going to buy and of course we would have to be buying someone wouldn't we.

"It is the name of the game for Manchester United."

Ferguson has allowed young defender Jonny Evans to join Sunderland on loan until the end of the season and he believes the Northern Ireland international will benefit from the experience.

"We have let Jonny Evans go on loan to Sunderland and the reason for that is simply that he has not had enough football this first half of the season and the injury he had derailed him certainly," added Ferguson.

"We think we are well covered in the centre back position, so much so that we can let Jonny go there and get the experience because he is going to be a top player.

"He will come back a better player for us because of the experience of going to Sunderland for the next four months. He is 19 years of age and an excellent prospect."

Jewell hopes to sign Mills

Derby boss Paul Jewell is hoping to sign Manchester City defender Danny Mills.

Jewell is desperately in need of players to strengthen his injury-hit relegation strugglers, with Mills poised to become his first recruit on loan until the end of the season.

The 30-year-old right-back has spent the last few months on loan at one of his former clubs in Charlton.

However, the move ended on a sour note as Mills was sent off in a 1-1 draw with Hull at The Valley just before Christmas, incurring a three-match ban.

But with the suspension now served, Mills will be available for selection for Derby's FA Cup third-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park if the deal can be completed in time.

Along with Mills, Jewell is also looking to put the finishing touches to a £2million (€2.6m) deal for Argentinian striker Emanuel Villa.

The 25-year-old, who has scored 10 goals in 28 appearances for Mexican side UAG Tecos, flew in at 10pm on Thursday night.

Terms have already been agreed on a deal that will be completed once Villa passes a medical and international clearance is received.

Terry in danger of missing season

Chelsea fear skipper John Terry could be ruled out for the rest of the season, according to reports.

The England captain fractured three bones in his right foot in a challenge with Emmanuel Eboue during the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on December 16th.

The club initially announced that the centre back would need at least six weeks to recover from the setback, with the player setting his sights on a return to action in the middle of February.

But reports indicate that the Stamford Bridge club are concerned that Terry's recovery could take longer than anticipated.

The Blues skipper, who has been given a protective boot to wear to aid the healing process, is due to have his foot re-examined when he returns from holiday in Dubai.

Avram Grant is already looking to bolster his defensive ranks during the January transfer window, with a move for Lokomotiv Moscow's Serbian international centre-half Branislav Ivanovic on the cards.