ALAN Pardew has confirmed that Danny Guthrie may leave Newcastle this summer – while hinting that United are close to making their first summer signing.

Pardew said that a friend of Yohan Cabaye’s is on Newcastle’s hitlist – a statement that tallies in with United’s interest in Lille right-back Mathieu Debuchy. He wants a goalscoring centre-half on board for next year.

But he told BBC Radio Newcastle that Guthrie would be allowed to leave if he wanted first-team football. “Danny (Guthrie) wants to play first-team football – if that’s the case he should go,” Pardew said. “On the scouting front we are looking at a centre-half who can come and score us eight goals next season.

“We are saying to Steven Taylor and Mike Williamson, ‘are you going to bring that for us?’ and putting a bit of pressure on those guys to improve.”

He also confirmed contract talks are ongoing with Demba Ba.

“There is a situation with his contract and we are in talks with him and his agent,” he added. “It is not a foregone conclusion that he will stay, but the Newcastle public have played their part singing his name whenever he is over a free-kick.”