Source: Northern_Echo
Pardew hopeful of deal
ALAN PARDEW is still confident of adding at least one new face to his Newcastle squad before the transfer window shuts on Monday night.[LNB] The Magpies boss has been working hard in the last few weeks to try and bring people in but he admits any deals are likely to go right to the wire.[LNB] Attempts to sign Birmingham City's Sebastian Larsson and Tottenham's David Bentley have both failed, but the club are still in talks with Aston Villa over a deal to bring Stephen Ireland to Tyneside.[LNB] The Magpies are unhappy with the terms the Midlands club have offered and are hoping to leave it as late as possible to force Villa's hand.[LNB] England international Shaun Wright Phillips has also been linked with a move to the North-East but Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has hinted the winger will stay at Eastlands until the summer, while Pardew has dismissed claims he is interested in Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu.[LNB] The departure of Wayne Routledge to Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers has left the Magpies a body short on the right, but Pardew says he isn't necessarily looking to bring in a similar replacement for the former Crystal Palace man.[LNB] We've lost Wayne Routledge from the squad so I at least want to replace him,[LNB] I'm not saying we are going to sign a winger necessarily, but we do need somebody to come in a fill that gap in the squad.[LNB] I'm not anxious. I think this window has been quite normal. Everyone is waiting until the last moment. A lot of the deals are basically done, but people are waiting to see whether they get a better offer at the last minute.[LNB] We've put a couple of offers in this week and we're hopeful we'll get something done. The way it's looking at the moment that probably won't happen until Monday and we hope there are no lastminute hitches.[LNB] I want to sign players, but I will only do it if the deal is right. I'm not going to be held to ransom. The deal has to be right for the right player. I won't sign someone just for the sake of bringing a body in.[LNB] Meanwhile, Pardew admitted forward Xisco has lost his way at the club and revealed they have contacted a number of their Spanish teams about taking him on loan.[LNB] There is also interest from Middlesbrough for the 24- year-old's services but his reported £60,000-a-week wages could be a stumbling block.[LNB] We have contacted a number of Spanish teams to see if they are interested, the Magpies boss revealed.[LNB] He's a lovely lad and popular with players here, but he's lost his way a bit.[LNB] I've told him that if nothing comes out in the transfer window this time, he will stay and we will try to get him back on the scene again.[LNB] We'll work with him.[LNB] Sometimes it's not about the attitude of the player, it's about the attitude of the club as well, and we'll work him.[LNB] If he's prepared to change things a bit, I'm prepared to as well.[LNB]
