Alan Pardew has said he expects Jose Enrique to agree a new deal to stay with Newcastle in the near future.
The 25-year-old defender has a year left on his contract with the Magpies but has yet to respond to an offer of an extension amid speculation he is being courted by Liverpool and Arsenal.
Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle today, Pardew said: "I'm still hopeful that Enrique - who was a big, big, big, big player for us last year - stays at the football club and we can entice him to stay, and obviously we are still working on that.
"Jose's holidaying and doesn't have too much on at the moment, so we are not confident we can keep him, but we are not scared of losing him. It's somewhere in between, really."
He added: "When you have only got a year left on a player of his ability, of course you are vulnerable, and I think it's nervous times for us on him."
Neil Wilkes
