Steven Caulker's eagerness to leave relegated Cardiff City after just a solitary season in Wales could be a blessing for Newcastle with the centre-back eyeing up a return to the Premier League. The South Wales club plunged back into the Championship in May meaning an £8 million release clause in Caulker's contract was triggered and has alerted a number of potential top-flight suitors to the one-cap England international's availability. And Newcastle, according to a report in the Chronicle this morning, have been offered the chance to sign the 22-year-old this summer by the Bluebirds, who paid £11m to acquire him from Tottenham just under a year ago. While it's understood the Magpies are prioritising the addition of a winger and a striker to their squad in the short-term there is nothing holding us back from going after Caulker. Although the Club prefers to take a leisurely approach to recruitment during the summer window we should strike while the iron is hot and snap Caulker up for what is considered nowadays to be a nominal fee for a defender who could be the cornerstone of our team for the next 10 years. But the likelihood is that he won't end up at St James' Park this summer and, as we've said on numerous occasions, it's difficult to envisage Mike Ashley releasing the funds despite Alan Pardew requiring defensive cover in the event of Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa being sold.
