Newcastle Transfers: 6 Players That Could Replace Mathieu Debuchy

5. Micah Richards

It has been a recurring strand of Alan Pardew's recruitment message that he wants Newcastle to buy British this summer rather than ploughing the fields of France for more cost-effective additions to his squad. Richards is a player that will become available when he severs ties with Manchester City, the club he joined as a teenager in 2005, at the end of the season after being frozen out of the first-team picture by the form of Pablo Zabaleta at right-back. The Magpies could snap up the 25-year-old for between £4-8 million and with over 240 appearances in all competitions for City and 13 caps for England he would bring a wealth of experience to St James' Park while remaining under Ashley's threshold that prevents the club from signing players over the age of 26. A sticking point would obviously be his wage demands, which are said to in the region of £72,000, but if he is acquire a quality replacement for Debuchy then Ashley will have to loosen his belt and pay the going rate. Wouldn't hold out much hope of Richards appearing in a black and white shirt, then.