Alan Pardew has dismissed speculation that the likes of Demba Ba, Cheick Tiote and captain Fabricio Coloccini could leave Newcastle this winter.
Magpies' boss targets new signings in transfer window
Alan Pardew has dismissed speculation that the likes of striker Demba Ba, midfielder Cheick Tiote and captain Fabricio Coloccini could leave Newcastle this winter.
Instead, the Magpies manager insists he is ready to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window with a central defender and potentially a new striker in the shape of Paris St Germain's Mevlut Erding.
Pardew admits the difficulty of getting value for money in the current window and is aware of the limitations he has with such a tight budget at St James' Park.
He said: "Our fans are sold these smokescreens and it's not fair on them.
"They just want to have honesty and the truth in both those is far from what has been portrayed.
"We are trying to get the best possible players with the budgets we have, and we are working hard at that.
"(Chief scout) Graham Carr does a terrific job for us, as his scouting team does and as my staff do, so on that side of it we are really trying to cover everything we can.
"It's difficult. If one of the big players makes a move, it stimulates the market, but it looks like everybody is jostling as usual and hopefully we are not going to have this last-day scenario, or the last few days, that we had in the last window which really affected us.
"We have made it clear to all the clubs that if there is any business to be done with us, you had better get in quickly because obviously we are stained from last year.
"But looking around and speaking to other managers it's very difficult to get value in this window and we are all a bit wary of that."
No communication
Pardew also claimed that he was not aware of the club's offer for Manchester United's midfielder Ravel Morrison but hinted that owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias may have had some say in bidding for the teenager.
"It's important for us to keep what business we are doing in house," he said.
"There has been no communication, certainly from manager to manager, but sometimes these deals at football clubs are taking place behind the scenes.
"As far as I am concerned, there is no definite bid in from us."
