ALAN PARDEW is plotting a summer raid on his former club, Newcastle United, in an attempt to sign highly-rated youngster Liam Gibson.

Gibson, who is yet to make his senior debut for the Magpies, played at left-back in last weekend’s friendly win over Lillestrom.

The 18-year-old was named on the bench for this month’s Premier League win over West Brom, and is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Newcastle’s academy.

However, he is currently in the final year of his three-year scholarship and is still to sign a professional deal for next season.

That has alerted Pardew to the possibility of prising him away this summer, with the Crystal Palace boss having received regular bulletins about Gibson’s development during his time as manager of Newcastle.

Pardew is well aware of how highly the teenager is regarded, and is expected to make a move if the Magpies cannot agree terms over the course of the next few weeks.

The former Newcastle boss is keen to bolster his own club’s youth ranks with the addition of some domestic talent, and regards Gibson as a viable potential target. Sources in London claim he would be even more confident of landing the youngster if his former club were to suffer relegation to the Championship this season.

Newcastle’s coaching team would be extremely disappointed to lose Gibson, with under-21 coach Peter Beardsley tipping the youngster for the top provided he begins to believe in his own ability.

“He’s a great kid,” said Beardsley. “He’s got a lovely left foot, he’s strong, physical, can run and he has a good understanding of the game.

“The only thing he’s maybe lacking is confidence. I don’t think he realises what he has, because he has a lot of strengths, a lot of positives, and I just wish sometimes he would believe in himself a bit more. He’s certainly got the talent.”

Tomorrow marks the final day of the Chinese transfer window, and despite Cheick Tiote and Papiss Cisse having been heavily linked with a possible move to the Far East in the last couple of months, it increasingly looks as though Newcastle will hold on to both players.

Tiote was on the verge of agreeing a move to Shanghai Shenhua when talks broke down last month, while Cisse has been linked with a number of sides in the Chinese Super League in the last couple of weeks.

Newcastle were prepared to listen to offers for Cisse’s services last summer, but with Aleksandar Mitrovic struggling with the knee injury that forced him to miss the La Manga training camp, the Senegal international could be crucial in the remaining three months of the season.

Cisse is expected to be part of the squad for next week’s crucial games against Stoke City and Bournemouth, although Newcastle will consider selling him for around £5m this summer.