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Alan Pardew has admitted Newcastle have "too many" foreign players.

The United boss has revealed he wants to focus on British talent in January, and insists Director of Football Joe Kinnear has been "supportive" in his role so far.

Pardew revealed he is learning to work with Kinnear on transfers who then explains to owner Mike Ashley where his squad needs strengthening. And he says the former Wimbledon boss has never tried to meddle with his team selection or training ground work.

Pardew also says business "genius" Ashley "doesn't get the logic" of football.

Kinnear's arrival in June prompted fears he was being lined up to succeed Pardew, but four months on Pardew has revealed they have a working relationship.

Pardew, has seen an influx of cheaper French talent in the last two years including internationals Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy and Loic Remy.

He and admitted today: "One issue is that we're going to need to look at British players quickly because we're starting to get filled up with perhaps too many foreign players. I think we need to strengthen the team and maybe in January as well.

"I didn't know Joe at all. So far, you can only take someone as you find them and so far he's been supportive. He's asked me what I want, I've told him what I want and it's his job to try and get it out of Mike as far as I'm concerned.

"His role really and truly is to be Mike's confidante in terms of what is the manager wanting, what does he need, what can I deliver for him. He's not involved at the training ground with any tactics or anything like that.

(Image: Getty)

"He hasn't even offered me his opinion in any kind of manner except to ask mine so on that side of it, I'm comfortable with that and hopefully he can get the message to Mike on the one or two issues we need to address."

Pardew has a new striker top of his January wish list and confirmed today there is a deal in place to land on loan QPR star Remy on a permanent transfer.

He told Sky Sports: "Loic is a great signing. He's on loan, he's a player who has done terrific for us and a player that we'll perhaps look at going forward to bring to the club on a permanent basis. There is (something in place for him) but it's complicated."

Pardew defended Ashley's reign at Newcastle saying: "He can't understand the logic sometimes of how football works and it confuses him and I think it upsets him and sometimes when he's upset I think he does some things that are not brilliant for the football club. That's just Mike, but I can think of a lot of owners who are less good than Mike.

"I think Mike has played something like £200 million-plus for this football club and I don't really think he wants to put any more in terms of his own financial money, so therefore it has to do what we say in the trade as wipe its nose. We have to use the funds we have. We're not overloaded with funds and I think that gets lost a little bit."