5. James Tavernier
As always there is lots of pressure on Newcastle in the transfer market to deliver replacements or upgrades on our first team but could Pardew have a ready made replacement for Simpson already at the club? Current captain of the Newcastle U-21 (who just spanked Stoke 5-1), Tavernier has been around the first team for the past 12 months but is yet to make a full league appearance in the black and white. Given a baptism of fire in his Europa League debut when he was caught out of position on numerous occasions by Atromitos winger Denis Epstein, Tavernier is still a work-in-progress with much to be done on his positioning. Nevertheless he is highly regarded by the club and great things are expected of him in the years to come. One has to wonder though if Simpsons looming contract expiration is just a season too soon for the untested 20-year-old whose only first team experience has come in loans to Gateshead, Carlisle United, Sheffield Wednesday and Milton Keynes Dons.