Toon step up offer for £6.5m defender – report

Newcastle are to make a larger offer in the hopes of landing Erik Pieters, The Journal claims, with Alan Pardew desperate to land the defender before the end of the week.

Pieters has become the preferred target over Lyon star Aly Cissokho for Pardew, who hopes to land the left-back as a replacement of the departed Jose Enrique.


 

Newcastle still have numerous transfer targets to shore up before the transfer window closes, with a striker and midfielder on their list of positions to fill.

And Pieters is now of the upmost importance to Pardew, with the Newcastle manager hoping to fill Enrique’s place on the squad as soon as possible.

Pieters has starred for PSV since signing for the club in 2008, but the Dutchman has admitted to being open to a move to the Barclays Premier League.

“The Premier League is a very good league to play in,” he said recently.

“I am open to this step, it seems a great challenge, but if it fails I am not disappointed. My agent must report to me when it is really concrete. I have not heard yet, so I wait.”

Newcastle are reportedly hoping to land Peiters for £6.5 million, but the club are attempting to stick to a strict budget, despite the transfer window coming to a close.