Pardew Steps Up Chase For Defender

23 January 2012 10:39
Newcastle hope to clinch a new defensive recruit before their Cup tie with Brighton, but Alan Pardew says he wants to keep the same back four. Confused? Yep, so are we.

The Sunday Sun claims "Alan Pardew still has ALL of his £8million transfer war chest left, with the cash raised to sign Papiss Cisse understood to have come from the summer budget – which included provision to bring in a new No 9."

Alan Pardew: “I wouldn’t bring a player in if I didn’t think he could challenge for the first team – full stop.

“If I don’t think a player can come straight into the first team, it makes no difference to me.

“I wouldn’t want to change the back four.

“We want to bring a defender in, that’s what I’ve said and we’ll try and do that if we can because we ain’t got no cover. If we had an injury at centre-half, we’re going to look vulnerable.

“The phone will be switched on and I’ll be monitoring the transfer window,”

Source: FOOTYMAD