Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini's new contract has now become manager Alan Pardew's primary target.
Newcastle also determined to keep Ba at St James' Park
Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini's new contract has now become manager Alan Pardew's top priority and negotiations are this month set to recommence.
The centre-back will be a free agent in the summer of 2013 and, after developing into one of the Premier League's best defenders, other clubs are watching the situation.
But Pardew is determined to keep Coloccini and, having this week completed the signing of striker Papiss Cisse, he wants the Argentine to sign a new long-term deal.
The Newcastle manager has for several months spoken of his determination to secure his skipper's future and, amid a challenge for a place in the league's top six, it is his primary target.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's trip to Fulham, Pardew said in the
Daily Mirror: "The priority for me is Coloccini's new contract and one or two others.
Guard
"We are focused on that, because we want to keep our best players. He is our captain and I want to keep him. Negotiations are due to restart shortly."
Pardew, funded by Newcastle's new commercial sponsorship deal with Virgin Money, is also expected to sign another centre-back in the January transfer to cover Steven Taylor's injury.
And at the same time as adding numbers to his squad, the St James' Park boss is resolute in his desire to keep Demba Ba, who has a £7million contract release clause.
Pardew said: "We have that about our players all the time. We have to react if something comes up, but there have been no scares for us.
"We want to run to the summer with all the players we have got. I do see that happening but that doesn't guarantee that. We are on our guard.
"If one Champions League team plucks from another, then one of them might come and pluck from us. You are never going to stop that."
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