Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is set to make a move for PSV Eindhoven defender Erik Pieters according to the Mirror.
The Magpies boss made a personal check on the 22-year-old during PSV’s 3-1 defeat to AZ Alkmaar this weekend as he lines up a replacement for Jose Enrique.
Liverpool are expected to complete a £6 million move for the Spanish left back after chasing him all summer.
Pardew has identified Pieters as the man to replace Enrique with the left back already capped 10 times by Holland and boasting Champions League experience despite his relatively young age.
A assessment on the players fitness was the main concern for the Magpies boss with the defender still recovering from a knee injury picked up in pre-season.
Pardew is keen to have a replacement lined up before his side welcome Arsenal to St James’ Park at Saturday tea-time.
His only other left back option, Shane Ferguson, is injured leaving him short of numbers going into the opening game of the season.
Whether the Eredivise side will allow Pieters to leave is another matter considering he recently signed a deal to keep him at the club until 2014.
He did claim that several Premier League clubs were chasing him this summer and now Newcastle look set to make a move to secure his services.
