Newcastle United coach Alan Pardew is confident he can find a replacement for striker Demba Ba, who is currently undergoing a medical at Stamford Bridge ahead of a $12 million move to Chelsea. "There is a positive because if he had gone with two days to go of the window and we hadn't got a replacement in, suddenly we are in real trouble,” Pardew said. "We have got time and hopefully that will work in our favor.”

The news from Tyneside has not been good recently. Newcastle is looking down at the relegation zone with a two-point cushion after losing 2-1 at home to Everton on Wednesday. Now it stands to lose top goalscorer Ba who has 13 strikes this season -- just under half the team’s total.

Pardew lamented the fact that Newcastle couldn’t recoup a higher transfer fee for the Senegal international, as a $12 million dollar buy-out clause was built into the player's contract. "When he came, there weren't too many people queuing up,” Pardew said. “I took the opportunity to take him and the clause that went in made a lot of sense at the time for us and for Demba, of course.

"If he hadn't worked out, maybe as well as he has, then it would have been a great deal for us. But it worked out even better for him because he has scored loads of goals and the clause has kicked in and he's moved on. We were all straight and fair with that and there has not been any problem."