Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has admitted the club is closely monitoring the transfer market amid speculation that they could yet receive a substantial bid for key midfielder Cheick Tiote.
Pardew has no desire to see the 28-year-old Ivory Coast international, who has three years remaining on his contract, leave St James' Park this summer and indeed is planning to welcome him back to training after a hamstring injury next week and subsequently, into his starting line-up.
However, having seen striker Andy Carroll sold to Liverpool for an eye-watering £35million in January 2011 within weeks of his arrival on Tyneside, he knows he can never say never.
Asked if there is a contingency plan in place, Pardew said: "Yes. I've got the Andy Carroll experience here, and that's one of the benefits of being here for four years.
"But I never think that you can be safe with a player if you're not in the Champions League. Even if you're in it, now there are clubs who can go and poach from there, which has been proven in this window.
"You've got to be on your toes at all times and I have to say, I think we have been, this year in particular, really on the button on transfers.
"I've seen some inflated prices this week and that's worrying with nine days to go."
Tiote has been linked with Barclays Premier League rivals Arsenal in recent weeks, but the latest speculation involves Russian outfit Lokomotiv Moscow.
It is understood Lokomotiv had a bid or around £4million rejected earlier this month, and Pardew confirmed that no club yet had come anywhere near presenting Newcastle with a tough decision.
He said: "I'm not exactly sure who bid. I heard there were a couple of derisory offers - and I mean way short of his valuation - and therefore we've not really entertained any serious thought of him leaving.
"We have all speculation about our players, we have had it in the past. Some of it carries weight - there were a lot of rumours last season with [Yohan] Cabaye and PSG and it happened, so I'm always open-minded about it.
"I'm a big fan of Cheick, I love the way he plays and the passion he plays with and he's been an important part of the success here. The players we've got round him this year will highlight his game a little bit more.
"He will train with us next week and I'm confident as I can be with any player that he will stay. "
Tiote will not be involved in the squad for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa as he continues his recovery, but summer signing Siem De Jong will be having returned to fitness after a foot problem.
However, the news of full-back Davide Santon, who underwent knee surgery during the summer, is less positive.
Pardew said: "It's not good news. When the surgeon looked at his knee there was a little bit more damage than we thought. That now looks like mid-November now rather than October."
Source: PA
