Bids to land Douglas from FC Twente and Mathieu Debuchy from Lille before the end of August both fell through, because Mike Ashley wouldn't pay the asking price.
Alan Pardew: "We have about seven names for a centre-half."
However, Derek Llambias said two weeks ago: "We don't have pressure on us to buy a central defender, James Perch has played there, and done well."
Club captain Fabricio Coloccini tweaked a hamstring during the Carling Cup defeat to Manchester United in September, while Steven Taylor is still sidelined by a calf strain picked up against Reading three days later.
Lille rejected at least two offers from Newcastle for the highly-rated Debuchy, while a £4m move for Brazilian Douglas came to nothing.