Alan Pardew: Joey Barton Focused on Newcastle

Posted Friday, July 15, 2011 by Express.co.uk

ALAN PARDEW is convinced Joey Barton will see out the rest of his Newcastle contract – but fears Jose Enrique wants to join Liverpool or Manchester City.

Newcastle boss Pardew accepts Enrique wants to go, despite the offer of a lucrative new deal.

Pardew’s side play their first pre-season friendly at Darlington tonight and he said: “Joey seems pretty focused on Newcastle, whereas Jose wants to get a new club. Hopefully that will change.

“We’ve got to be ready because if Jose goes, it’s going to leave a big hole and we need to fill it quickly. But he does travel to the United States with us on tour.

“We’ve offered him a massive contract, but he doesn’t seem to want to sign it so it’s a very difficult position. We have had no concrete offers for either player.”

Pardew says there has been no offer from Chelsea for midfielder Cheik Tiote and that he will not be signing unsettled Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia.
He said: “I’m told Charles N’Zogbia has an imminent move set up and that will not be to us.”

N’Zogbia, instead, is close to a £10million move to Aston Villa, but Sunderland are trying to persuade him to join them.