Alan Pardew looks for January defender

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has revealed that club owner Mike Ashley has told him that funds are available for a new centre-back.

Steven Taylor has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles problem, while Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson are current injury doubts.

"Mike asked me when am I going to get a centre-half," Pardew told the Newcastle Chronicle. "It's about making sure we get the right one.

"When you look at centre-halves it is easy to get it wrong. You can look at David Luiz [at Chelsea], who is finding it difficult, he was £18m and he didn't play the last game.

"So it doesn't matter what you spend, you have to get the right one."

The Magpies host Swansea City in the Premier League on Saturday.