A Taste Of Whats To Come...

Hatem Ben Arfa vs. Everton by tsgass

Taylor Bid Breaks Down...

Newcastle have had their bid for Neil Taylor rejected. The Swans have defended themselves stating Taylor is worth much more and will play an integral part for the club in the Premier League.

"We recognise Neil as a young, talented Welsh player that has an important role to play at this club," Jenkins said on the club's official website.

"We brought him here from Wrexham and have helped nurture his development. He adjusted very well to the Championship last season and we look forward to seeing him play a big role as we enter the Premier League.

"That is why we have rejected Newcastle's bid. I spoke to Neil's agent and he understands the situation.

"We have a big challenge ahead in the Premier League, but together we can maintain the progress made by this club over the last few years."

Newcastle activated a release clause, however, the details are not too clear as to whether the Club have the right to reject the bid.

Toon In Sissoko Talks...

Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko is being tracked by Newcastle the toon according to his agent Bacary Sanogo. The 21 year old star is worth 13m and Toulouse will only hear offers in that range.

"The link with Lyon is serious, but it is not the only one," Sanogo told the Liverpool Echo.

"There are also negotiations with Liverpool, Newcastle and Inter. Things should seriously move next week.

"His priority is a club with a major sporting project."

At just 21 years of age, Moussa has played 123 games and scored 16 goals for his club and had 3 int'l caps under his belt for the France national team.

Should Barton leave, Moussa would be the perfect replacement. He is a box-to-box midfielder who can play a holding role as well as an attacking one.

Video: Newcastle Top 10 Goals Of The Season 10 / 11...

Hughton Takes Up Birmingham Hot Seat

Birmingham have unveiled Hughton as their new manager, the former Newcastle manager is the perfect signing for Brum and is the right man for the job.

Newcastle fans will recall the time when the club got relegated, the club was in turmoil and at that time Hughton was just a caretaker.

At a time when Newcastle had no manager, Hughton had no choice as a caretaker to step up and rise to the challenge.

It took a massive 6-1 defeat to Leyton Orient for the team to make massive decisions. God knows what happened in that dressing room but whatever did happen, the fans can not be more grateful.

Hughton with the help of Nolan formed a bond that would develop a team spirit which would rise above the pressure that burnt the club to flames.

There was a mass exodus in just a window, Newcastle lost close to 10 players if not more. Players that wanted to leave were told to, if their heart was never with the club then there was never any room.

It was doom and gloom and fans feared Newcastle were the next Leeds. It only took a couple of games into the championship that the fans started to notice a bond that a Newcastle team has never shown for years.

The fans began to enjoy their football. At first, In Hughton we dint trust, we feared the worst but then Hughton grew onto us. A true gentleman with an admirable charm he was.

As fans we began to trust in him, at times his tactical decisions were questionable but in the end Newcastle came out on top.

Hughton used only one thing to guide Newcastle to the top, and that was spirit. It was the very lack of spirit that got Newcastle relegated.

Today a player of Owen's and Martin's ability would walk straight into our 1st team yet they were the players that got this great club relegated.

If it is one thing that a club needs, it's team spirit on the pitch. The off the pitch saga still continues at the club but the difference was the spirit on the pitch.

Birmingham fans need not to worry, they have the perfect man for the job who has the experience. Hughton's been there and he has what it takes for a relegated club to find its feet.

In Hughton, you must trust!

Sunderland Sign Dong....

Looks like our dirty rivals have sealed the signing of Ji Dong-Won for a reported fee of 3.5m euros. The 21 year old is highly rated and surely this will cheer many Sunderland twats.

"I had the impression that Sunderland really wanted me,I know there will be stiff competition for playing time, and my goal is to become the player that the team wants me to be in six months," Dong said.

"I am also looking forward to playing against Ji-sung and Chung-yong, whom I both admire."

The striker has scored 10 goals in 33 games for the Dragons and 6 goals in 11 games for South Korea's national team. A club statement read:

"Ji Dong-won's transfer will inevitably leave a big hole in our roster. But for the sake of the player's future and for the development of Korean football, we decided to allow his move. We also tried our utmost best to find the most suitable team for the player."

Sources in Sunderland say McDonalds have released a spicy burger to celebrate their new arrival and to make him feel welcome. They call it the Mac Dong, it is believed that the mackem men love their Dong, however, the women have found it rather distatsteful.

Sylvain: "This is a dream move..."

 

Image from nufc.co.uk

Sylvain reflects on his move to Newcastle United and spoke to nufc.co.uk:

"This is a dream move for me and I'm very happy to be joining such a great club. As soon as I signed I couldn't wait to phone my parents in France and tell them the news. I've already sent them both Newcastle shirts!"

"Newcastle United are one of the most well-known clubs in France and have a great tradition. I saw quite a few of the games last season and thought the team did very well in their first season back in the Premier League."

Sylvain will find comfort along fellow french players like Ben Arfa and Cabaye, and will gel with tiote who played in the french league too.

"It's good for me that there are other French players here, players like Ben Arfa and Cabaye who I know, but it's a very good squad they have too."

The player was taken around the club and was very impressed with the stadium. The player told nufc.co.uk:

"I saw the stadium and thought it was magnificent. It must be a fantastic place to play and I can't wait. Of course I have heard all about the massive support at Newcastle and the passion of the fans here.

"The people at the club made me feel so welcome on Friday night when I arrived. They looked after me so well, made me feel part of the club straight away, and I thank them for that."

Sylvain Marveaux Signs In...

Get in there! Newcastle are on a roll baby and the ride isn't just over yet. Last night we got news that Ba signed and now we can confirm that 25 year old Sylvain Marveaux has signed a 5 year contract with Newcastle!

"It's a great coup to have signed Sylvain, who has received interest from a number of other clubs," Pardew said.

"He may not be well known to many of our fans but he is a real talent and a player we have been keeping an eye on for some time. It's been a good couple of days for us on the transfer front."

Sylvain has come in as a free agent from french club Rennes, he is a versatile midfielder and predominantly plays as a left winger.

It was reported that Liverpool were on the verge of signing Sylvain but reports in France suggested that he failed his medicals.

The midfielder has stressed that it was not due to the medicals but rather the personal terms that both the parties could not agree on.

"I do not want to go into details, but if I have not signed for Liverpool, it was because there was a contractual disagreement between the involved parties, Thursday evening," Sylvain told L'Equipe.

"Today, I can undergo a medical before you and you will see there is no problem."

Although there maybe some concerns over his fitness, this should come as  a huge boost to Newcastle who only have two genuine experienced wingers in Jonas and Ben Arfa! What more can i say? Next please!

Video: Demba Ba Reflects On Newcastle Move

Official Ba Signs!!

Yes fellow fans, it's official! Demba Ba has just signed for Newcastle on a 3 year deal! 

"I'm very excited to be here," Ba said.

"Everything has been sorted out and now I'm happy because I can start to focus on playing and scoring goals for Newcastle.

"This is a great Club and a very good team, so to sign here was an easy choice to make.

"I have spoken to Hatem (Ben Arfa) about the Club and he told me how happy he is here and how big Newcastle are, so I'm really happy and I can't wait to start playing.

"I know a lot of famous strikers have played here before and I will do my best to win games for the Club.

"When I step on the pitch, all I want to do is win games, and I think the Premier League is a good league for me.

"I will keep on working hard. I've heard that the atmosphere here is great and I can't wait to score some goals in front of our fans and here that atmosphere for myself."

 Pardew has praised ba on his premier league performances at West Ham and admires his ability.

"Demba made a great impression with West Ham last season and is a great signing for this club," Pardew said.

"He has pace, excellent technical ability, is good in the air and, it goes without saying, has the ability to consistently find the back of the net. Moreover he has a great passion to play for Newcastle United."

This will come as great news to the fans, Newcastle are probably the most active club getting their targets sorted before pre-season begins!

Well thats put to bed, Next please!

2011/12 Fixtures - Our 2 Best Games Last Season...

 

...are our two first games this season. Yes you guessed it right, we face 4rsen4l and 5under1and in our opening matches whom we took 4 points of!

Pardew is excited about the opening fixtures and is looking forwad to a great start to the season. Speaking to nufc.co.uk, said:

"What a fantastic start for us, Arsenal at St. James' Park and then the Stadium of Light! Our fans will love that but myself and the players are equally excited.

"No doubt people will hark back to the 4 - 4 draw last February, and rightly so, and it's undoubtedly one of the best games of the opening weekend.

"Going to Sunderland so early in the season is terrific too and of course we can take heart from our performances against them last season.

"Liverpool and Manchester United in successive games over the Christmas/New Year period is pretty mouth-watering too, and two trips to Manchester over consecutive weekends is a tough assignment but that's what the Premier League is all about and we can't wait."

Our first 5 fixtures are:

August
13 Arsenal             (H)

20 Sunderland          (A)
27 Fulham              (H)

September
10 QPR                 (A)
17 Aston Villa         (A)

How many points can we collect? Leave your answers in the comment section below!

 

Demba Ba Spotted at St James Park...

Ba has been on Pardew's radar and 2 days ago it was reported that Ba would sign for Newcastle. Well the rumours have been confirmed and are very much true!

Ba was spotted at St James Park and had his medicals done yesterday. However, many reports suggest he may have failed his medicals but so far those reports are unconfirmed.

"Demba Ba has done very well since he came to England and he's a good player," Pardew recently said.
 
"I'm very much aware of him and I probably know what he is capable of more than most because I've known about him for a while, before he went to West Ham.

"We're not the only club who are interested, but we are trying. There is always competition and we will keep plugging away.

"If we can get him and another two in before the end of next week I'll still be looking for another two new faces to join us before the start of the season."

Watch this space unfold as both Taylor and Ba may be officially announced within 24hrs.

Jose Stalling For Champions League Football...

In the last couple of days, we heard Pardew's disappointment over Jose's response towards the new contract offer. Jose is playing hardball and is stalling on his decision.

Pardew has revealed Jose is ambitious and will want to move to a club that will offer him Champions League football. Therefore, Liverpool won't be his first choice club although they have the potential to break into the UEFA scene within a season.

"He has Champions League aspirations and he is waiting to see whether anyone who has qualified for that competition is willing to come in for him," Pardew said. 

"That is his right and there isn't much more we can do about it. We have tried as hard as we can, in the financial situation we are in, to keep him. 

"We offered him an excellent deal, but he doesn't seem to be interested in signing it at the moment. It is frustrating - but that is the situation we are in.

"It is up to him, but he wants to see what else there is for him." 

Jose is a quality left back and at 25 he's yet to reach his peak. We as fans can understand if he would prefer a move that would match his ambition, but Liverpool? Why sell to the top teams to only make them better than we are and create a further distance to catch up?

I'd rather see Jose move to a foreign club preferably in Spain as i really wish him the best and hope he breaks into the Spanish squad.

But this silent treatment has got to stop! If he wants to leave, then please do so, don't drag us down with you, the window is a long way to go but we would really want to tie up a replacement asap should he decide to leave.

Nolan Reflects On His Transfer...

Nolan has completed a move to West Ham in a deal that would see him warm the bench for 2-3 years. The 5 year contract length has secured a final payday for our former Captain.

West Ham have secured a great signing who will definitely give 100% and will get them promoted within a season.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew that they wanted me, they have shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West Ham player," said Nolan.

"Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive thing and obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me. I'm very sad to leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes and hopefully I can start off and be as successful as I was there.

"I came to West Ham because of the tradition of the club and everything about it. I've always enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of linking up with Sam and working with him again.

"The be all and end all was that the club actually wanted me and the owners put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. Now it's my time to repay them and hopefully I will do that."

We all know Nolan was a great leader and we thank him for his services; we are genuinely grateful for his passion having charged his team back into the Premier League.

But who are we kidding, Nolan will only be good for another 2 years, he lacks pace and ventures forward far too much. West Ham have secured 2 years for his services on the pitch and 3 years off.

In the end, we can only thank you and wish you well Nolan. Can't wait to see your replacement though!

Newcastle Transfer Dealings Since '06...

Newcastle in the last 5 years have surprisingly made the most profit in the transfer market. Newcastle have sold more than they have purchased which makes you start to suspect Ashley's motives.

However, when Ashley took over he made it cear that the club was debt ridden and after Keegan's departure it was chaotic on and off the pitch.

"One of the reasons that the club was so in debt when I took over was due to transfer dealings caused by managers moving in and out of the club," Ashley once said.

"Every time there was a change in manager millions would be spent on new players and millions would be lost as players were sold."

With relegation, Newcastle declared a further loss of 35m pounds and thngs could only get worse. Ashley has put his foot down and is planning to stabilise the clubs finances but at what cost is what most fans will ask?

Quality players are being sold rather than being kept a hold off. Yes, they are worth much more than the Smiths and Xiscos but is selling our best players a smart thing to do to try and balance the books?

It would seem as though Newcasle will be a selling club untill the 150m loan is cleared and untill then we can only hope we remain in the Premier League.

But thats just how it seems and i wouldn't blame the fans if they felt this way. This window however, Newcastle seem to be aiming high but what's the motive one may ask?

Well a miracle would see us qualifying for Chamions League, but Ashley in the light of Newcastle's success will turn in more revenue.

Therefore, is it safe to say that Ashley will only do well financially if Newcastle succeeds on the Pitch? A win win situation for both Ashley and us Fans?

Pardew Speaks Out On Nolan's Move...

Alan Pardew has today spoken out and wishes Nolan the best. Nolan's move to West Ham has been a shocker and reportedly worth 4m. Pardew revealed the contract length was the key factor determining his departure.

“I am aware that the club made Kevin a good offer to stay but could not agree over the length of the contract offered,” Pardew said.

“This obviously happens in football and everybody needs to move on. I would like to thank Kevin for his sterling efforts as a player and captain of this club, especially since I took over last season.

“He displayed admirable leadership qualities, and I wish him every success at West Ham. It’s a great club, and I’m sure he will thrive there.”

It's a move that has come as a surprise, one of the highest goal scoring midfielders in the Premier League in the past season has chosen to move to the Championship.

Pardew, however, has asked for the fans to keep calm and expect a good window ahead.

“We are looking to complete on a number of deals over the next month or so, and I am sure with the quality of signings I anticipate coming into the club, we should look forward to exciting times in the upcoming season as we look to establish the club as a genuine force in the top half of the Premier League.”

Rumours on the tyne today features names such as Matuidi, Barnetta, Ba and Taylor who could be set to sign within a week or two.

No Questioning Barton's Loyalty...

Barton was up on Skysports today and thankfully was very professional in how he conducted himself. Barton has re-assured fans that he has no desire to leave the club.

"I love the football club, without a shadow of a doubt, and I think everyone knows that," he told Sky Sports News HD.

"I have a great working relationship with the manager and a lot of the other players, obviously the other senior players who have been through the ups and downs - the likes of myself, Kevin Nolan, Stevie Harper, Smudger.

"It's a difficult situation and I totally understand the club's point of view, but on the flip side it's hard for me to get drawn into it.

"I am an employee of the football club and I have to go back and do a job in the summer. As far as I know I will go back to Newcastle United and play until my contract runs out and they tell me I am no longer needed.

"I have got no ambitions to leave the football club, I don't want to leave the football club, and I would love nothing more than to win a trophy at Newcastle. Whether I get the opportunity to do that is out of my hands.

"I am an employee of the football club and if they choose to do something, I would be foolish not to listen to it. If I'm not wanted then I believe greatly in my ability and I would have to re-evaluate my options.

"That's the situation we are at at the minute. If that's the situation in a month's time then I will report back for pre-season training, if it's not then it's not.

"It's all hypothetical at the minute and I'm just trying to keep myself in shape and get myself ready for a league campaign with Newcastle United next season."

Barton is one player that would be very much welcomed to stay. A season or two out of him and he will be great for us.

The 29yr old to be only has one year left on his contract and Newcastle could do with his leadership for another season even if it meant he left on a free.

Newcastle dis-United...?

With all the news breaking today, every fan has the right to know what's going on at the club? If i remember correctly, players like Nolan and Barton formed the core and leadership of our team last season.

The two under Hughton formed a unity that blossomed team spirit through the camp and all of a sudden we hear our two main men have rejected their contract renewals and are looking for pastures new.

Are Newcastle dis-United? We need to analyse what's going at the club. Pardew has come in as a new manager and probably wants to stamp his authority and wont bend to player power.

And secondly we need to assess our team leaders in Nols and Barton, how long do they have left before their legs wear out?

Both are 29 this year and within a season or two, they'll be passed their prime and players like Jonas, Cabaye, Tiote and Ben Arfa have a high chance of displacing them as first team members.

Now lets assess the contract breakdowns, both Nols and Barton have rejected their contract renewals on the basis that the contracts offered are short. Barton wanted a 4yr deal rather than the 2 he was offered and Nolan supposedly wanted a 5 year deal.

Look at Smith, he's 30 and will never figure for Newcastle. In my view, these two players are looking for a final payday and will not mind one bit to cash in the paycheque whilst warming the bench.

This is financially unsustainable for Nufc as a club, we can't offer Nolan and Barton long term contracts on high wages when we're looking for young quality players who will displace them within a year or two.

Imo, these two are great leaders and we need to keep a hold of them for a season or two. This will allow for a slow transition through team leadership whilst maintaining team spirit.

Losing both Bartn and Nolan this window is a huge gameble. Who will step up as a team leader and maintain the spirit that Hughton instilled when we hit rock bottom?

Will we remain United or will we be dis-United?

Nolan Off to West Ham...

What in heavens name is going on at Newcastle? Are we having a major overhaul? At the moment, it's all sad news coming out of the Newcastle camp.

Sky reporting Nols is off to the hammer and having his medicals done, really? I mean i would never think Nolan would drop down a league when he was one of the highest goalscorers from midfield.

Joey Barton has expressed disappointment on his tweeter account and fears he and a few others would leave too.

"Great player, leader, captain, person, trainer and mostly a friend for life. Devastated to see him SOLD," Barton said.

He then followed it with a hash tag which read "#mejoseandjonasnext." West Ham have confirmed that they have secured two signings and fears are that Nolan is one of them.

"West Ham United can confirm that the club hope to announce two new signings - both proven Premier League players - within the next 24 hours," read an official statement.

Pardew is looking to acquire six signings but how many are we going to lose before the end of the window?

Pardew in for Demba Ba?

In the last two days, Pardew has mentioned two possible strikers that could be our targets, but are they? I thought Pardew would play his cards close to his chest and this probably is a deflection that could be deceptive towards other clubs.

Mevlut Erdinc is said to be on Pardew's radar and now it seems like 25 yr old Ba has joined him. Ba previously failed a medical at Stoke and Pulis said his knees were a ticking time bomb. I'm not too aware if he failed his medicals at West Ham but they did sign him.

So is Ba really worth chasing for? However he did well at West Ham and scored 7 goals in 12 and has bags of pace and strength. Pardew had this to say about the striker.

"Demba Ba has done very well since he came to England and he's a good player," he said.

"I'm very much aware of him and I probably know what he is capable of more than most because I've known about him for a while, before he went to West Ham.

"We're not the only club who are interested, but we are trying. There is always competition and we will keep plugging away.

"If we can get him and another two in before the end of next week I'll still be looking for another two new faces to join us before the start of the season."

So...should we go in for him? Worth the risk? Please leave your comments below...

Newcastle Legend Alan Shearer Snubs Cardiff...

Big Al has confirmed he was one of the candidates that Cardiff opted for however he wasn't too pleased with what they had to offer.

"I can confirm I was one of the candidates the club spoke to about the vacant manager's position at Cardiff City," Shearer said.

"During these talks I was most impressed with the vision, ambition and determination of owner Dato Chan Tien Ghee and the board.

"Unfortunately, those talks were unsuccessful on this occasion.

"Cardiff City is a great club and I wish them every success next season."

Really Al? You've only ever managed 8 games with Newcastle and you're talking of Cardiff not being suitable for your liking.

This would have been the perfect opportunity for Shearer to get his managing career started, anyhow he's snubbed it. To the contrary, Shearer did say he loved a challenge reflecting on his time at Newcastle.

'I loved the eight weeks I had at Newcastle. I loved the problems and challenges it brought every day, but I'm also not too daft to see that the longer you're out of the game the harder it is to get back in," he said.

'If the right one was to come along then, yeah, I would look at it. I'm not desperate to go in at a club that's got nothing and where I'm peeing against the wind.

"I'm not naive enough to say I'm not going in unless I can be a Premier League manager, I'm not that stupid. "Somewhere along the line you've got to do your apprenticeship. But I'd want half a chance of being successful at it."

Do you think Shearer should have taken the job? Leave your responses in the comment section below...

Gervinho in Talks With Arsenal...

Newcastle 'target' Gervinho is set to have talks with Arsenal. Lille can confirm today that the 24yr old wants to leave and although PSG are interested, they would rather sell to a foreign club than their rivals.

However, Gervinho has set his sights on the English Premier League and would also rather move to a team that plays Champions League football.

Lille's Frederic Paquet on French radio station RMC : "He wants to go and has developed contacts with Arsenal.

"Gervinho chose to leave for England, so that limits the scope of the situation.

"We will meet soon with Arsenal, see what they offer - but he is a player of value."

This latest twist on the Gervinho saga can now be put to bed and Newcastle should move onto other targets. Pardew has already confirmed his disappointment over Gameiro and should Gervinho have been a genuine target, this will come as a blow to him and many fans.

Newcastle Target Mevlut Erdinc...

Pardew has admitted Erdinc is on his radar. The PSG forward may have to give room to Newcastle's former target Gameiro. Are we securing a displaced striker to our former target? With Gameiro coming into the PSG front line, Erdinc has no where to go but us.

Lualua off to Brighton...

Lualua seems to have made up his mind before even speaking to the manager. The young lad did well for Brighton under Gus Poyet scoring some vital goals but unfortunately suffered a terrible injury half way through the season.

LuaLua told The Argus: "Alan Pardew hasn't said anything to me and I don't expect him to say anything, because I've been injured.

"We are back in training on July 5. Hopefully by then I will be a Brighton player."

Pardew has many options to play on the wings now that Ben Arfa is fit and ready to return. Pardew has Jonas, Ben Arfa, Barton and Ferguson who can already operate on the wings and is still looking for one more winger.

Lualua, therefore, wont get as much game-time as he would like. Newcastle's best option is to loan him out, the lad has the talent and is surely to impress in a couple of seasons time.

Pardew's New Signing...??

"We're working very hard on one or two players and we hope to announce something soon. We should be able to announce a second signing, I would think, in the next 10 days," Pardew Said.

Hmmm...who could this be? One player that comes to mind is Neil taylor, despite recent links to Demba Ba, there isn't any concrete evidence floating around surrounding Ba.

However, in the case of Taylor, Swansea boss had the following to say about the versatile defender.

"Obviously it's something that has come out in the last few days with Neil," Rodgers told Sky Sports News.

"Newcastle have put a bid in, which gives him permission to talk to a club that puts in a million pound offer. It doesn't mean he goes for a million pounds.

"I've tried to ring Neil a few times and I haven't heard back from him yet so I'm just waiting on that."

Neil Taylor was brought in by Swansea for 150,000 quid and has a million pound release clause on his contract. Shrewd business from Ashley and Co. and it's the same method they used to acquire Lille's Cabaye for half of what he's worth.

Neil Taylor has been highly rated and still very young at the age of 22. He has figured for the Wales Int'l setup and is predominently a left back who can play as a centre half as well as a left winger.

This may sound a few alarm bells as to suggest Jose is on his way out. However, only time will tell and August 31 cant come any sooner.

Enrique Playing Hardball...

Jose is a player I like, he's grown into a quality left back within two seasons and is being rated as one of the best full backs in the league. There's no doubt he's talented, there's no doubt he's ambitious and there's no doubt he wants to break the national scene with Spain.

Enrique previously stated he will make his decision after we secure Premiership status but now he seems to want more. It looks as though Enrique is holding out for a team that will offer him Champions League football.

He was recently offered a very lucrative deal but is playing hardball. If its one thing i hate, its players holding the club at ransom. The window has a long way to go before it shuts and Newcastle want to get a move on things.

We dont want another Carroll debacle, a last minute transfer that was a huge gamble. And it seems the gaffer isn't too pleased with the silent treatment he's receiving from Enrique.

"At the moment it looks like he doesn't want to deal with us," Pardew said.

"We have been asked to make him an offer but there has been no progress since then.

"I still hope we can do something but at the moment we're still waiting for Jose.

"I don't think there's anything more I can really add on that situation at this stage."

Pardew is clearly frustrated and it seems as though Jose is good as gone. Hope he can rap this up as soon as possible so that Newcastle can move on and find a replacement if we have to.

Newcastle's Ambition...

New signing Cabaye cant wait to put on the famous black and white jersey and has already signaled his ambitions and expects more signings to come.

"I am going to play in the best championship in the world for a club who want to get back into Europe within a year and one who are building an ambitious team.

"I am the first recruit but I have discussed things with manager Alan Pardew and I know others will follow. The directors have assured me on this point," he said.

Newcastle fans will be over the moon and will welcome such news coming out of the camp. However, experience has taught us not to jump the gun coz in Ashley, we cant trust.

But make no mistake, Newcastle ARE trying their very best in the market and one thing for sure is that it is very hard to attract top notch players who would rather play in the Champions league.

Newcastle have already failed on one target, Gameiro, but have quickly moved onto plan B. Pardew seems really determined and wont quit too easily.

"Things are definitely moving on now and we expect to be busier between now and the start of the season," Pardew said.

"We're working very hard on one or two players and we hope to announce something soon.

"We should be able to announce a second signing, I would think, in the next 10 days.

"We aren't going to rule ourselves out of any situation. We want quality players at this football club so if the players are out there and we think we've got a chance, we'll try our very best.

"Some players who we bid for might want Champions League football so they'll be going there, others will be prepared to come to us because of the magnificent fan base and the history here too.

"I think the likes of Everton, Sunderland and Bolton are the competitors that we have in this window, but we've got a chance because of the Andy Carroll money."

Newcsatle have been linked with many names and Pardew is keeping his cards close to his chest. For the fans, its agonising not knowing who the targets are and more names keep popping up day by day.

Names such as Gervinho and Nzogbia keep reappearing in the rags but it is impotant to know that these two players are quality and could easily be picked up by the top teams.

Pardew needs a selling point, and he's convinced Cabaye we're ambitious and that's job well done. Hope he can maintain this with other targets.