Newcastle United are set to offer Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins, a new pay as rumors continue to fly that he may quit Saint James’ Park to replace Thierry Henry at Arsenal. To this end, the Magpies have stepped up plans to write off the £13 million buy-out clause in the former Inter Milan’s forward contract.

London-based Evening Chronicle reported that when the Nigerian abandoned his Italian agent halfway through last season and opted for the Jonathan Barnett’s Stellar Group, the Toons tried to step down the buy-out clause.

It was, however, speculated that Newcastle attempted to rescind the buy-out clause because Obagol was in devastating form as he was scoring great goals for Newcastle with effortless ease, and therefore was worth more than the £10 million which the former manager, Glenn Roeder, paid Inter to secure his signature a year ago.

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Indications are rife that the only option available for Newcastle to change Obagol’s buy-off clause was to renegotiate his £60,000 (about N15.5 million) a week five year contract and enter into a new deal with him that will see him smiling to the bank with an increase in wages to about £85,000 a week.