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Newcastle United may look to loan out Massadio Haidara in the first half of the new season.

United manager Alan Pardew has thrown the gauntlet down to the young Frenchman to show his worth, but is delighted by the competition for places at left-back.

Originally, Pardew had planned to loan out Geordie boy Paul Dummett, but the Academy product has taken backroom staff aback with a stunning start to pre-season.

The 21-year-old is now pushing Italian ace Davide Santon hard at left-back and United are considering loaning out Haidara instead.

Dummett was the man who got the nod to continue his pre-season training in Portgual as a reward for his efforts so far this summer.

United, tough, still rate Haidara highly after signing the youngster from Nancy.

He has been left behind on Tyneside but Dummett could get another piece of the action tomorrow night when the Magpies take on Rio Ave (6.00).

United were still waiting for a breakthrough in the transfer market last night with new director of football Joe Kinnear working on recruitment back in the UK.

However, there could be departures in due course with Dan Gosling’s representatives hopeful his move to Crystal Palace can be completed and Birmingham City looking to re-sign Northern Ireland international Shane Ferguson on loan for the first half of the season.

Both did not travel to Portugal this week – and Pardew’s relatively thin squad is about to be decimated further with Papiss Cisse’s future looking bleak after he was excused from travelling following the wrangle over whether he wears Wonga-branded gear this season.