After days of confusion, Kevin Keegan's future was clarified tonight when he resigned as Newcastle manager.

"I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible," Keegan said in a statement. "It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want.

"It remains my fervent wish to see Newcastle United do well in the future and I feel incredibly sorry for the players, staff and most importantly the supporters. I have been left with no choice other than to leave."

Reports first surfaced on Tuesday that Keegan had been sacked from his post as Newcastle manager, a claim the club later denied. Keegan, however, had not attended a training session since the transfer window closed.

The relationship between Keegan and the club's owner, Mike Ashley, have been strained for some time with the manager believed to be unhappy over his lack of control in the transfer market. The club's alleged attempts to sell Joey Barton's and Michael Owen are said to have brought the tension to a head on Monday night and tonight's events had an air of weary inevitability.

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