Brian McNally's post on Soccer | Latest updates on Sulia

ALAN Pardew has given the Toon Army a massive pre-season boost by revealing he can buy three players this summer without any need to sell. Owner Mike Ashley's controversial self-sufficiency strategy has always required players to be sold to fund incoming deals and down the years this has seen top Magpies stars such as Andy Carroll, Shay Given and James Milner depart. But following Newcastle's fifth place finish last term and a return to Europe, Pardew has revealed his transfer plans are not dependent on a big-name departure. Pardew admits he has no no control over the Demba Ba situation where the striker is contractually allowed to leave for £7m if Newcastle receive an offer by July 31. But the Newcastle boss is adamant that much-coveted stars such as Cheick Tiote- trailed by Chelsea and both Manchester clubs- and French Euro 2012 star Yohan Cabaye- who is on Barcelona's radar- would only go for the sort of inflated fee that took Carroll to Liverpool in January 2011. Pardew said: “I know we can sign two or three players and keep all the players we have. I know we can do that. I think we will be stronger. “And if we do lose a marquee player to a really inflated price – an Andy Carroll price – then we have got to trust our judgement and go into the market place and bring in an equivalent, and I think Mike is quite comfortable with that. “The big job this summer and, it still is, is keeping players as well as signing them. I think that is the key. “We still have a window wide open and everyone is analysing and looking at what they done over the last year and at what other teams did. “A lot of people will look at us, so I’m not out of the woods on that on for sure. “I don’t fear a big offer coming in, I expect it. I expect a bid for one of our marquee players. Whether it’s enough money to take the player away, we will have to wait and see, but it would have to be a lot of money.” Pardew believes that the team spirit that had Newcastle challenging for a Champions Legue place last season will remain intact. He added: “I would be very surprised if the spirit and camaraderie we built up last season was broken up, unless we lost four or five players and I cannot see that in a million years.” Pardew is urging his squad to keep their sights set on the top of the table next term. He explained: “There are still four places to aim at above us and if you want to be a winner then you have to be better than you were last season.” #nufc