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Newcastle United are preparing to offload their number 9 Papiss Cisse.

German sources have confirmed that Borussia Monchengladbach have held fresh talks with the Magpies about the possibility of taking Cisse back to the Bundesliga.

However, this is a move that would only interest Cisse if he was assured of first-team football, and that it was a permanent deal.

It is understood that he isn’t keen to make a temporary loan switch abroad.

Whether Gladbach would be prepared to make it a straight swap for Luuk De Jong – United’s main winter target – or pay a hefty fee remains to be seen.

Those close to the deal at Gladbach have also revealed to the Chronicle that they face competition for Cisse’s signature from Turkish outfit Trabzonspor and West Ham United, as we reported on January 1.

There was also talk from Turkey yesterday that Besiktas wanted Cisse on loan, but the Istanbul side would have to find the money to lodge a firm bid.

The Gladbach deal may hinge on De Jong coming in the other direction.

But Cisse wants to know where he would fit in alongside the likes of current strikers at Gladbach such as Brazilian Raphael, Togo star Peniel Mlapa, German Max Kruse and Swede Branimir Hrgota.

The number 9 holds all the cards to his future as he has three years left on his contract and could still stay to fight for his place at Newcastle.

De Jong is bottom of the pecking order at present and Cisse doesn’t want to swap the United bench for a place on the sidelines at Gladbach’s impressive Borussia Park. However, Gladbach are keen to add Cisse to their roster – and hope that the possibility of playing in the Champions League next season can sway his mind.

Cisse had always wanted to pull onthe No 9 jersey at United.

But he has been frozen out somewhat by Magpies boss Alan Pardew in terms of first-team starts this season – and hasn’t began a Premier League game since October.

Gladbach’s season gets under way again tomorrow night with one of Europe’s biggest fixtures of the weekend against Bundesliga table-toppers Bayern Munich, as first meet third at Borussia Park.

Cisse’s stock is still held in high regard in Germany after fans watched him notch 22 goals in 54 Premier League starts at Newcastle despite a lack of first-team football this season.

While Cisse’s record in the Bundesliga reads 37 strikes in 62 starts with Freiburg.

West Ham tried to sign Cisse at the start of the transfer window but were told by Newcastle they didn’t want to loan or offload a player to a rival top-flight club.

Since then the Magpies have set a precedent on that score though, in loaning Jonas Gutierrez to Norwich City.

And Cisse would not face United this term with both fixtures against the Hammers now completed – and Newcastle almost certain of survival this term.

Trabzonspor are currently in sixth spot in the Turkish Super Lig and want Cisse to bolster their chase for either a Champions League or Europa League slot.

Meanwhile, Besiktas chairman Fikret Orman wants a big name to add to his squad in the January window.

Cisse is valued at £10m but the Turkish side, managed by ex-West Ham man Slaven Bilic, only appear willing to cough up £7.5m – and that following an initial loan deal.

Cisse’s wages would also have to be factored into the deal.