Newcastle preparing for Enrique exit

Newcastle United are planning to replace Liverpool-bound Jose Enrique with highly rated Dutch defender Erik Pieters according to the Daily Mirror.

The 22-year-old PSV Eindhoven full-back has recovered from the knee injury sustained at the start of pre-season, to play in the club's 3-1 defeat to AZ Alkmaar yesterday.

Magpies boss Alan Pardew flew out to Holland to run the rule over the talented youngster who already has 10 full international caps, and boasts a wealth of Champions League experience.

With Enrique expected to complete a £5.5million switch to Anfield this week, bringing an end to Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's drawn out pursuit of the player, Newcastle will act quickly to sign Pieters before this weekend's season opener against Arsenal at St James' Park on Saturday, 5.30pm.

Pieters claimed earlier this summer that a number of Barclays Premier League clubs had shown an interest in him, with Liverpool thought to be one of those interested parties as the Enrique deal looked dead.

However, the latest twist in the transfer merry-go-round looks as though the 25-year-old Spaniard will make his Merseyside switch to allow Pieters to join Newcastle.

But having recently penned a new contract keeping Pieters at PSV until June 2014, the Eredivisie giants are in a strong position when it comes to the negotiation of a transfer fee with no agreement with Newcastle yet to be reached.

Source: Givemefootball.com

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.