English trio are kept apart

The three Premier League clubs have been kept apart in the Europa League quarter-final draw.

Chelsea will take on Russian side Rubin Kazan, Tottenham tackle Swiss outfit Basel and Newcastle will face Portugal's Benfica.

Rubin Kazan are currently sixth in the Russian Premier League and required extra-time on Thursday to defeat Spain's Levante 2-0 on aggregate in the last 16.

However they are likely to prove tough opponents for Chelsea after knocking out holders Atletico Madrid in the last 32 and emerging unbeaten from a tough group that included Inter Milan.

Rubin's game against Levante was played at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium - due to problems with their own pitch in the republic of Tatarstan - and they could also face the Blues at a venue where they lost the 2008 UEFA Champions League final to Manchester United.

Swiss champions Basel defeated Zenit St Petersburg 2-1 on aggregate to reach the last eight after hanging on to lose the second leg only 1-0 after the Russians missed a late penalty.

Basel failed to reach the Champions League group stage this season after losing to CFR Cluj in the play-off round.

Benfica, who are currently two points clear in the Primeira Liga, dropped into the Europa League after finishing third behind Barcelona and Celtic in Champions League Group G.

They beat Bordeaux 4-2 on aggregate in the last 16 after scoring two late goals to win the second leg 3-2.

"It's a great draw for us," said Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. "The Estadio da Luz is a great venue. I've been there and it's a fantastic stadium. Importantly, we are at home in the second leg and that will give us an advantage."

Benfica director Rui Costa said: "Newcastle deserve all our respect but we trust in ourselves. We will give it our best to go through."



Europa League draw:

Chelsea v Rubin Kazan

Tottenham v Basel

Fenerbahce v Lazio

Benfica v Newcastle



First-leg ties to be played on April 4, second-leg ties to be played on April 11.

Tim Krul is facing a month on the sidelines

Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is facing a month on the sidelines with his ankle injury.



The 24-year-old Holland international visited a specialist earlier this week after picking up the problem in the Europa League match against Metalist Kharkiv.



Manager Alan Pardew said: "His ankle is still a little bit swollen. We think he will be out for a maximum four weeks, five weeks, but we are hoping for less than that."



With veteran Steve Harper also injured, Rob Elliot was handed his Premier League debut in the 4-2 win over Southampton, and he will continue in goal at Swansea this weekend.



Fabricio Coloccini, though, is a major doubt for the trip to south Wales with a back injury he picked up against Southampton.



Pardew said: "I think he's doubtful but there's a chance he could play."

Milan drop interest in Santon

AC Milan have given up trying to sign Newcastle full-back Davide Santon, according to Il Corriere dello Sport.



With Djamel Mesbah joining Parma in January and Ignazio Abate widely tipped to leave at the end of the current campaign, the Rossoneri are desperate to sign at least one high-quality full-back in the summer.



Milan attempted to sign former Inter hotshot Davide Santon in January, and were hoping to renew their interest in the summer, but it appears the Italy international will not be returning to San Siro any time soon.



Il Corriere dello Sport claims that the Rossoneri have dropped their interest in the player after being informed of Newcastle’s €10 million valuation.



After he managed to kick-start his career at St James Park, Santon was repeatedly linked with a return to Serie A, but it appears he is quite happy to remain at Newcastle for the time being.



The 22-year-old remains an important part of the side that are tipped to continue their uptrend in fortunes in the coming years.

Ben Arfa fancies French move

Hatem Ben Arfa has risked troubling Newcastle boss Alan Pardew by talking up his hopes of a future move to Paris Saint-Germain.



The forward is back in France recovering from a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for another month.



He insisted preserving Newcastle's Premier League status remained his priority but said a return to Ligue 1 with the club he supported as a boy would fulfill a "childhood dream".



"I am under contract with Newcastle and I'm fine," the former Marseille and Lyon player told Le Parisien.



"First, I must save my club. I only think of that. Help my team and my coach, with whom I get along great. We really want to fight for him.



"The fans are great too. Once we have saved the club, you never know. To sign for PSG would be a childhood dream. If there is a proposal, I will study it with interest.



"If there is a proposal. The 'if' is important. PSG still lives in my heart. Playing there would be a wonderful gift."



Newcastle languish two points above the drop zone after just two wins from their last 10 league games.

Friday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Argentine club San Lorenzo have set Newcastle a deadline as they pursue their interest in signing Fabricio Coloccini.



- Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, is also on Manchester United's radar, according to AS.



- QPR have made an increased offer of £7m for Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila, according to reports in France.



- Harry Redknapp is preparing a £4million move for West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie.



- Ashley Cole's agent has travelled to Spain to speak to Real Madrid about a possible move.



- Despite Everton insisting he is not for sale, midfielder Marouane Fellaini could join Chelsea before the end of the month, according to L'Equipe.



- Everton boss David Moyes has confirmed German midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger will stay at Goodison Park until the summer.



- Manchester City striker John Guidetti is looking to join an English club on loan, according to the player's Italian agent.



- Swansea have put in a £7million bid for Blackpool’s Tom Ince as they look to make the most of Liverpool's failure to conclude a deal for the midfielder.



- Swansea's Danny Graham is facing an anxious wait in the transfer window with the club still awaiting an offer for the unsettled striker.



- Newcastle are closing in on a move for West Ham defender James Tomkins.



- Liverpool have joined Manchester United in showing interest in signing Rayo Vallecano striker Leo Baptistao, according to theDaily Mail.



- Liverpool have ended Nuri Sahin's disappointing loan spell, allowing him to rejoin Borussia Dortmund.



- Sunderland's new signing Alfred N'Diaye has received clearance to make his debut tomorrow.



- Norwich are close to completing a deal for Celtic striker Gary Hooper, talkSPORT understands.



- Brazilian striker Wellington Paulista has completed his six-month loan move to West Ham United from Cruzeiro.



- Carlton Cole is fuming after being told he can leave West Ham.



- Reading have confirmed the signing of full-back Stephen Kelly from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.



- Reading midfielder Jay Tabb has been told he can leave the club during the January transfer window.



- Denilson is hoping for a quick resolution to his future at Sao Paulo and the on-loan Arsenal midfielder says he will be 'annoyed' if a deal is not reached soon.



- Real Madrid is the perfect place for Manchester City target Edinson Cavani to play, according to his father Luis - but he has NOT ruled out a move to England.



- Victor Valdes' agent says the goalkeeper is waiting for Barcelona to open talks regarding a new contract at the Nou Camp.



- Atletico Madrid are closing in on a player-plus-cash deal to land Manchester United target Leo Baptistao.



- Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder could agree to join Galatasaray on Saturday, according to his agent.



- Juventus boss Antonio Conte is in the frame to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, according to reports in Italy.



- Fiorentina insist they will not be making a move to sign Frank Lampard.



- Nikola Zigic's agent has ruled out a move to Villarreal after insisting the striker has no plans to leave Birmingham City during the January transfer window.



- Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, has a €15million buy-out clause in his new contract, according to Sport Bild.



- Paris St Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has played down the likelihood of striker Nicolas Anelka signing a contract with the club.



- Lorient coach Christian Gourcuff has ruled out selling Jeremie Aliadiere in January following reports Newcastle United had made a bid for the former Middlesbrough striker.



- Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle and will decide at the end of the season what his future holds.



- Chelsea have missed out on Brazilian target Taison to Shakhtar.



- Leeds have won the race to sign England Under-21 international Ross Barkley on loan from Everton.



- Sean O’Driscoll has emerged as a shock frontrunner for the Blackpool job and could be confirmed as Michael Appleton’s successor in the next 24 hours.



- Nottingham Forest and Bolton are chasing Manchester City defender Dedryck Boyata.



- George Willis has signed his first professional contract with Sheffield United.



- Brighton & Hove Albion have agreed a fee with La Liga side Almeria for striker Leonardo Ulloa.



- Stevenage defender Andy Iro has extended his loan spell at Barnet until February 9.



- Carlisle have signed former Hibernian defender Sean O'Hanlon on a deal until the end of the season.



- Leyton Orient have signed striker Charlie MacDonald from MK Dons on a free transfer.



- Midfielder Callum Byrne has joined Colwyn Bay on loan until the end of the season.



- Qatari side Al Gharafa have won the race to sign Brazilian forward Nene from French giants Paris Saint-Germain.



- The Galaxy have announced the signing of their fifth homegrown player in Cal State Bakersfield star Gyasi Zardes. Zardes is a native of Hawthorne, CA and has played for the Galaxy U-18 and U-20 teams.

Newcastle finalised Debuchy deal

Newcastle United have completed the signing of French right back Mathieu Debuchy from Lille on a five-and-a-half year deal.



The defender was believed to be close to joining the Premier League side during the summer transfer window following a string of impressive performances during France's Euro 2012 campaign, only for the two clubs to be unable to agree a fee.



Debuchy was present during Newcastle's 2-1 defeat to Everton on Wednesday as he watched from the stands at St James' Park, and joins up with fellow France internationals Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye after completing the five-million-pound move.



"I hope I can bring something fresh to the team and help us get up to the highest possible position in the Premier League this season," Debuchy told the club's official website.



"I will give everything for this club."



Meanwhile, manager Alan Pardew admitted it was a 'huge relief' to secure the long-term target's signature.



"It's no secret we've been trailing him for some time now and to have reached this point fills me with great excitement and anticipation in respect of what he will be able to offer the team," said the Newcastle manager.



"At the same time it's a huge relief to actually have him with us now.



"He is an established top international player and it is a real coup for this club that we now have him at St James' Park.



"Mathieu will add real quality to our team, in terms of his ability, character and experience and I am sure he will quickly become a firm favourite among our fans too."



The right-back has 12 caps for his country so far, scoring one goal, whilst he won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France with Lille in 2011.



The France international is expected to feature in Newcastle's next Premier League fixture, against Norwich on January 12, however he will unavailable for Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie away to Brighton.