AS Newcastle United make one final attempt to plug the most pressing gap in their squad, another has opened in front of it.

The Magpies have until 11pm to complete a move for the centre-back manager Alan Pardew has wanted since the transfer window opened on New Year’s Day. Even if they succeed, they face a major problem in central midfield.

Yohan Cabaye has until 6pm to answer a Football Association charge of violent conduct. Unless he successfully overturns it, it could leave the Magpies without both first-choice central midfielders for the next three games.

Cabaye has been charged for an alleged stamp on Brighton and Hove Albion’s Adam El-Abd in Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round defeat at the Amex Stadium. Referee Lee Probert did not see the incident, apparent retaliation to an unpunished tackle, but having watched the video he decided if he had, he would have shown the Frenchman a red card.

Newcastle are already without Cheick Tioté for tomorrow’s trip to Blackburn Rovers. Tioté is at the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, who have qualified for the quarter-finals and are favourites to win the competition. Should the Elephants reach the February 12 final, he will also miss the matches at Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Mario Balotelli received a four-match ban for stamping on Tottenham’s Scott Parker under not dissimilar circumstances last week. It would have been three were it his first offence this season. Phil Bardsley’s stamp into Juan Mata’s chest was, and he was suspended for four games in September.

Bans can be extended if the FA deem an appeal “frivolous”. It is why Manchester City reluctantly decided against appealing Balotelli’s punishment.

Dan Gosling, James Perch and Ryan Taylor are candidates to replace Cabaye at Ewood Park tomorrow. Newcastle are confident Fabricio Coloccini will return from a groin strain, freeing up the versatile Perch.

That he was needed in central defence at Brighton was a reminder of why Pardew’s focus today will be on a centre-back.

With Steven Taylor out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, they do not have a specialist capable of deputising for Coloccini and Mike Williamson.

Bids for Championship defenders James Tomkins and Adrian Mariappa have been rejected this month, and Newcastle must decide whether to go back in for the latter.

Watford have three times turned them down, with their latest – and supposedly “final” offer – thought to be around £2.25m. There were rumours yesterday of late Arsenal interest in Mariappa.

Newcastle will therefore need a Plan B, and have been credited with interest in Denmark’s Jores Okore as well as France Under-21 international Mapou Yanga-mbiwa.

Both were born in Africa – Okore in Ivory Coast, Yanga-mbiwa the Central African Republic – and are six foot tall, though at 19, Okore is still growing.

Okore plays for FC Nordsjælland and Yanga-mbiwa plies his trade for Montpellier. Manchester United, Spurs and Liverpool are also thought interested in Okore.

Bayern Munich had a scout at a recent Montpellier game, but Yanga-mbiwa’s agent has denied any interest.

At present striker Papiss Cissé is Newcastle’s only January purchase, and his Senegal team-mate Demba Ba says they are getting “a proper goalscorer”.

“He’s going to help us achieve something we want to achieve,” added Ba (pictured right). “The rest of my season is about Newcastle – so we are going to do everything for them and forget about what has happened here.”

Ba has been persistently been linked with moves this month, but said: “The position hasn’t changed. I’m just going back there to play the rest of the season. Hopefully as well as I played before.”

Meanwhile, the dates have been set for striker Nile Ranger’s next two court appearances.

He will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on February 27 to answer assault charges, and in front of magistrates on March 21 on allegations of drunk and disorderly behaviour.