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Pardew warning over stars

Image: Alan Pardew: Warning to any interested clubs in Newcastle United's key players

Alan Pardew insists that any club wanting Newcastle United's top players would have to break the bank.

Newcastle boss looks to fend off interest

Alan Pardew insists that any club wanting Newcastle United's top players would have to break the bank. Newcastle's excellent start to the season has seen some of Pardew's big names linked with moves away. Captain Fabricio Coloccini has been linked with Liverpool, whilst Chelsea have been credited with an interest in midfield enforcer Cheick Tiote. And whilst Pardew admits that players could leave in January, he insists it would take huge money to persuade them to do a deal. "It is going to cost a hell of a lot of money, a hell of a lot of money because we're in that position now," he told the Sunday Mirror. "I think any of our players that get linked to other clubs, those clubs are going to need to know they'll need to pay a shed load of money to get anyone out of this football club. "I don't envisage anyone going out in this window, but if a club, one of the top clubs, comes in and wants to pay way, way over the odds we'll have to look at it."

African Cup

Pardew is looking at bringing in new names, including a deal for Sochaux's Modibo Maiga, although he admits the fact he will be playing in the African Cup of Nations early next year has not passed them by. As well as Maiga, current Toon stars Demba Ba and Tiote are also set to be involved in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. "We have looked at the African Nations Cup and we have looked at the next window," he said. "I think the maximum we would do is two players in. That would be our maximum. Then if anyone left, it would be a third."

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