Alan Pardew is confident of adding to his Newcastle squad within the next fortnight, but says the most important thing is that nobody has left.
Magpies manager looking at various options
Alan Pardew is confident of adding to his Newcastle squad within the next fortnight, but says the most important thing is that nobody has left.
While the Magpies have recruited promising youngsters such as Romain Amalfitano and Gael Bigirimana this summer, they have so far been unsuccessful in the pursuit of higher-profile targets such as FC Twente striker Luuk de Jong and Lille full-back Mathieu Debuchy.
Pardew admits there are unlikely to be any new arrivals over the next week or so, but he is not getting frustrated as he understands it can take time to finalise transfers.
And the manager insists that his main concern is to keep the nucleus of last season's squad intact so they can build on a fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
Asked if any signings were imminent, Pardew said: "No, I don't think so, not in the immediate week or so, but certainly over the next 14 days, I would like to think a body would come in.
"I would like to think we have got a strategy, and we are looking at various options of players to come in, of course.
"The good news for us is we haven't lost anybody, and we are doing everything we can to make sure that this team that bedded in so well last year goes forward together."
Different scenario
Pardew had already signed the likes of Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye and Sylvain Marveaux this time last year, but says fans should not be concerned by the relative lack of activity this summer.
He said: "It was a different scenario last year. We didn't finish fifth, so we had a lot of work to do.
"I am just very, very pleased that the successful players that we have had have all come back fit and well. They all look strong, they all look like they are ready to go again now, let alone in four weeks' time.
"If they see one or two come in before then, it's going to give them a boost.
"Sometimes with signings, timing is very, very important, as [January signing Papiss] Cisse proved last year.
"We are keeping an eye on when players should come in and making sure the gang we have here, who are 90 per cent of our team, are on the ball."
