Newcastle boss Alan Pardew looking to add new defenders in next transfer window

Alan Pardew: Has a shopping list of seven defenders for January transfer window

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew says he has a list of seven central defenders he will be looking to choose from when the January transfer window opens.

The Magpies are currently without Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor due to injury, having not brought in any defensive reinforcements in the summer.

Bids to land Douglas from FC Twente and Mathieu Debuchy from Lille before the end of August both fell through.

James Perch and Mike Williamson look set to continue together in the heart of Pardew's defence in Sunday's local derby with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, but the Newcastle manager admits he has a shopping list at the ready for January.

"We have about seven names for a centre-half," Pardew told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

Club captain Coloccini tweaked a hamstring during the Carling Cup defeat to Manchester United in September, while Taylor is still sidelined by a calf strain picked up against Reading three days later.

Lille rejected at least two offers from Newcastle for the highly-rated Debuchy, while a £4m move for Brazilian Douglas came to nothing.