2. Centre-half
Though Pardew will be boosted by the return of Steven Taylor from a cruel long-term injury that wiped out half of his season, and can also call upon captain Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson and James Perch, the manager needs to strengthen the heart of his defence. Mike Williamson is a great squad player, and Perch offers cover in a number of positions (though it seems his strongest position is arguably now in defensive midfield considering his performances last season), but neither are European competition quality centre-halves. And while both Taylor and Coloccini are very good centre-halves, Newcastle could do with another international class option in case either are unavailable due to injury (as both were at times last term). The courting of Twente's huge Brazilian centre-back Douglas would be an ideal solution, as the player has experience in a top-flight league, and looks like a strong option, as long as he can resist the trend that Brazilian centre-halves have suffered from in the Premier League (albeit aside from Chelsea's David Luiz). Another name that has been linked in the recent past is Watford's Adrian Mariappa, but he now looks to be heading to Reading for £3m or so, and long-term target Jan Vertonghen has now made the expected move to Tottenham Hotspur.