Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has admitted that he wants to keep Fabricio Coloccini and Danny Simpson at the North East club by offering the pair new long-term contracts.
The defenders are key to Pardew's plans, with the former West Ham United manager adamant that "influential" captain Coloccini deserves a fresh deal.
"Fabricio represents everything I like," the Daily Mail quotes Pardew as saying. "He was the number one choice to be captain and there wasn't really a number two in the running. He was always going to be the captain unless he suffered an injury.
"I hope we get his new contract signed and he will be here as captain for the next three or four years because he is very influential in the everything I want to do."
The 50-year-old has revealed that talks between the club and former Manchester United full-back Simpson are ongoing, but understands that he may be resigned to losing the 24-year-old.
"Danny is now in a situation where I guess he feels he should be rewarded with a new contract and I agree with that but it is as dangerous for him as it is for us," he added.
"All we're really talking about is the figures and that is very very difficult at this level. You can try to say we think we're here and he probably thinks we're somewhere else.
"But if we can't reach agreement, he'll have to move on - it's as simple as that."
The Magpies take on Premier League champions Manchester United tomorrow.
Danielle Joynson
