Newcastle boss Pardew, who saw star striker Andy Carroll leave Tyneside in January when Liverpool finally broke the Magpies' resolve to hang on to him with a cheque for £35million, is gearing up for a battle to hang on to similarly coveted midfielder Cheick Tiote this time around. The Newcastle manager, who had only been in the job a few weeks when the last winter window opened, spent much of January insisting Carroll would not be sold, only for the Reds to finally get their man at the death, much to the disappointment of the club's fans. This time around, it is Ivory Coast international Tiote who is reportedly attracting the interest of Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham among others, and Pardew knows any decision could be taken out of his hands by another massive bid. Asked if any manager could say a player was simply not for sale, he said: "I should think Mancini could probably say that and possibly Alex Ferguson, but no-one else. "I hate the window. All managers, whether you are in the second division and you are losing a player to the first, or you have a top first division striker and you lose him to the Championship, we are all the same. "We could lose our players to the Champions League teams, so you are all on your guard. "Players start manoeuvring and agents - it's not a very nice period." Mancini's Manchester City and Ferguson's Manchester United are among a handful of English clubs with the financial muscle to give Newcastle a decision to make in January with Tiote's future a matter of increasing speculation, while skipper Fabricio Coloccini and fellow defender Danny Simpson are yet to sign new contracts. However, Pardew insisted it would take a huge offer to persuade to the club to part with any of its big names. He said: "You never know with the window. It's such a minefield of possibilities. "We have one or two players here that top clubs, I'm sure, will be interested in. "But the one thing I would say on that is that they are going to have to pay a lot of money to take anybody out of here because we are obviously in a good position - not just on the playing side, but financially as well." Asked specifically about Tiote, who is touch and go to return from a knee injury against Swansea on Saturday after almost two months on the sidelines, Pardew said: "He's a big target because he's a great player, and great players are going to be targets. "We are always on our guard with Cheik because we realise that to us, he is very, very important and it would be very, very difficult to get him out of here." Newcastle handed the 25-year-old a new six-and-a-half-year deal in February after a stunning start to his career in English football following a £3.5million summer switch from Dutch side FC Twente. They have to date been unable to reach any agreement with Simpson, whose contract negotiations have now been put on hold until the summer. Pardew said: "We will just run to the summer and see where we go then. "I'm not disappointed or hopeful about it - it's just business. He either does a deal here or he doesn't - and if he doesn't do a deal, we will get somebody else." Meanwhile, Pardew was remaining tight-lipped on reports that Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga will join the club in January - although it is understood that is the case - but confirmed that there would be at least one new arrival. He said: "In terms of players coming in, there is certainly one player will come in and we are hoping maybe two - if we don't lose anybody." Asked specifically if the injury problems which saw his side head for Norwich last weekend without a single recognised central defender has strengthened his hand with owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias, Pardew said: "I don't think I need to strengthen my hand. "I think you would be surprised - Mike and Derek are probably more keen to bring in a central defender than I am, so don't worry about that."
