Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce has lined up two prime targets and couple of alternatives as he aims to bring in defenders in the wake of injuries to right-back duo of Stephen Carr and Peter Ramage.

Bolton Wanderers’ Abdoulaye Faye and Chelsea’s Glen Johnson are said to be the main targets for The Toon boss, who also confirmed that he has a couple as standby in the event of his main targets not making it.

"We are pursuing two targets at this particular moment, and outside of that, if they don't work there's another couple we can move to very quickly," Allardyce said on Sky Sports News.

"We'll have to just see where we get with them from the point of view, will the club sell them, what will they sell them for and can we sort the player out financially?

"Then, there's the medical that needs to be done really quickly in the next 24, 48 hours to give ourselves enough time before the closing of the window.”

"So, hopefully, at least one player will arrive by Friday and hopefully two."