Pardew Drops Debuchy Hint

After being deservedly named Premier League Manager of the Season earlier on Friday, Alan Pardew joined BBC Newcastle's Total Sport program for another refreshingly honest question-and-answer session.

Reading between the lines, Pardew - flanked by assistant John Carver - seemed to confirm that Lille right back Mathieu Debuchy is a summer transfer target while also speaking of his desire to add a goalscoring center back to the roster.

He also addressed the futures of Danny Simpson, Danny Guthrie and Demba Ba, as well as the challenge of keeping the club's core players after such a successful season.

You can listen to the entire interview here (skip ahead to 1 hour, 36 minutes in), but here are some of the highlights:

*Debuchy has been linked to Newcastle ever since Yohan Cabaye revealed that his former Lille teammate - the two are close friends and share an agent - had expressed an interest in joining him on Tyneside. Pardew did nothing to stop those rumors.

"If we didn't have Demba first, we wouldn't have Cisse. So it goes hand in hand. There's actually a player that I want to bring to the football club who's very close to Cabaye, and that could be a nice connection as well. So there's a little clue for you."

*Pardew admitted Newcastle's production on set pieces hasn't been good enough this season.

"I am contemplating bringing in somebody to specialize on set plays, because we don't have a dominant header of the ball. We also, when you look at statistically, which is my world as well, we don't score enough set play goals."

He later added, "On the scouting front, we're looking at a center half to come and score eight goals." Ajax's Jan Vertonghen, who's been linked to Newcastle in addition to seemingly every other top English club, has eight goals this season and scored six last season. FC Twente's Douglas, who would seem to be a more realistic option for United, has scored five times this season and had three goals last season.

*One of the few subjects Pardew was coy on was Demba Ba's release clause, saying it "has some kind of truth to it, and there's some untruth to it." He confirmed that the club is discussing a new deal with Ba and his agent. Had Newcastle not qualified for Europe this season, Pardew said he thinks Ba would be gone this summer.

"Demba isn't about money. Everybody needs to understand it ... It's not about money with Demba. It's about love and feeling."

*Pardew put the onus for Danny Simpson's contractual uncertainty squarely on the right back and his agent.

"Danny's been offered, in my opinion, a great contract, which him and his agent seem to agree that is not correct for him. But he has a year left on his contract, so he has a decision really. He either accepts our option, he takes a transfer, or he sees his year out where the end of the year might be an option for him."

*It sure doesn't sound like Danny Guthrie, a free agent in the summer, will be back.

"Danny wants to play first-team football, and I think Danny's the type of character where if he isn't playing first-team football, then he has a problem with it. And if that's the case, then he should go."

*Pardew conceded that Newcastle simply can't stop players from leaving if the Manchester Uniteds or Real Madrids of the world come calling - although Champions League qualification could change that. But he also added that "Mike (Ashley) is a difficult seller. He ain't letting anyone go for £7 million."

*Newcastle is attempting to sign a young center back who's been on trial at the club. Whether that means Curtis Good, Christophe Lowinsky, Valentin Gjokaj or someone else remains to be seen. Pardew added that three players are currently on trial.

Pardew and Carver both stressed the need to improve the underbelly of the squad, particularly with the extra demands of European play next season.