Crystal Palace have signed Manchester City forward Alex Nimely on loan until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old, who has previously had loan spells at Middlesbrough and Coventry, becomes Ian Holloway's first signing since taking over at Selhurst Park in November.
And Nimely has revealed that Holloway has had his eye on the Liberia-born player for some time.
He told the club's official website: "I've played against Blackpool and Crystal Palace a couple of times so I think the manager has been watching me for a long time so when he gave me the call to come here I was very happy to.
"The lads are all good and they've welcomed me well. I trained last week before the game against Stoke and I watched that game and was shocked by the way they play football by keeping the ball on the floor.
"I met the manager and he's fantastic. His philosophy is great as he wants to play good football and help the young players improve."
Holloway added: "I've admired him for a couple of years, I like his movement, skill and his tenacity. I want him to play for us and get some goals and hopefully he'll do that.
"He's a nice kid and he's one of the ones that they tend to stack and rack at clubs like Manchester City and I'm very pleased that with the choices he had he's chosen us."
Despite bringing in France defender Mathieu Debuchy from another Ligue 1 club, Lille, this week, Pardew is still looking to strengthen in the area in order to take some pressure off his established names.
Valenciennes president Jean-Raymond Legrand told le10sport.com: "Newcastle are very interested, they have made an offer. We will wait and see. But I will not sell players unless I can replace them."
While Pardew continues to be frustrated in his search for a striker to replace the departed Demba Ba, he also alluded on Thursday to his defensive concerns.
The Magpies manager said: "It's a position that we really need to strengthen as we have let in some loose goals this year because we have not had the competition, and the likes of Davide Santon have needed a rest at times. That sort of pressure has told on us."
Meanwhile Pardew insisted the club's failure to land a new striker is not for want of trying, with confusion persisting over the future of reported long-term target Loic Remy at Marseille.
Pardew added: "There is no doubt we are beavering away in the background to try to get players in.
"At the start of the window you get all sorts of mixed messages and it's very difficult to cement somebody down to a decision because they're waiting to see if another club gets involved.
"But it will accelerate as we get nearer the end of the window. The problem for us teams who perhaps need to strengthen is trying to get those decisions made."
Pardew reported better news on the injury front, with Papiss Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini both fit to return for Saturday's Premier League trip to Norwich, while Yohan Cabaye could come back to the bench.
