Newcastle are poised to make their first signing of what will hopefully be a busy summer in the transfer market after beating off stiff competition for the signature of Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback. That is the understanding of the Chronicle, who report that the Killingworth-born midfielder will complete a move to St James' Park when he returns from holiday and follow in the footsteps of Toon legends Paul Bracewell and Barry Venison in swapping Wearside for Tyneside. It's even believed Colback turned down an eye-watering £10 million deal from West Ham in favour of joining the club he supported as a kid, also spurning interest from Aston Villa and a new contract at Sunderland despite talks with manager Gus Poyet. But after giving the cold shoulder to the Hammers we should be encouraged that the 24-year-old is hungry to become a Newcastle player for reasons that transcend financial gain, as one Toon supporter pointed out this morning. https://twitter.com/DanSince93/status/474104487045758976 Although he may prove an unpopular figure on Tyneside - especially after shushing the crowd in the most recent Tyne-Wear derby defeat - we must regard Colback's impending arrival as a positive step in the Club's efforts to refresh a squad in desperate need of new blood.
