GRAEME Souness will make signing a centre-half his number one priority this month but, despite a lack of funds, the Newcastle boss will not be looking to pick up a cut-price bargain from abroad.

With Steven Taylor unlikely to play again this season, the Magpies would be thrown into turmoil were either Titus Bramble or Jean-Alain Boumsong to suffer the kind of long-term injury that has plagued them in the past.

Bramble is already taking painkilling injections to negate the effects of a troublesome groin and, while Souness is also hoping to sign a midfielder and a striker, the addition of a new defender is his primary aim during the transfer window.

The Magpies manager was linked with Marseille's Abdoulaye Meite this week but, despite spending £9.5m on Spanish midfielder Albert Luque, signing an overseas defender is not something he is prepared to do.

Instead, Souness will scour Britain for a new recruit while simultaneously attempting to prise Jonathan Woodgate from Real Madrid. Newcastle officials are understood to have been back in touch with the Bernabeu over the festive period, although Madrid are currently reluctant to admit defeat with their £13.4m recruit.

"I think we need to strengthen in every area," said Souness, who goes into this afternoon's FA Cup third-round tie with Mansfield knowing his future remains in doubt.

"But we have to think that Steven Taylor will not play again this season so if anything happens to either Titus or Jean-Alain, we're in a lot of trouble.

"My main priority is a centre-back, but we're not interested in Abdoulaye Meite. His agent (Willie McKay) could sell snow to the eskimos, but I think signing a foreign centre-half would be a massive risk at this time.

"I think foreigners need time to adapt when they come into our game. On the continent, the game is played in front of the defenders. In our game, it is played behind them as well. They get turned the whole time.

"I don't mind (signing) a foreigner who has played in our game and adjusted to it. But I want someone who is domestically based. If we had the funds we could get one, but we'll have to see how creative we can be."

That creativity will undoubtedly include an attempt to engineer a number of swap or loan deals. Last month, Souness had been hoping to off-load two or three players to raise the revenue needed to sign new recruits.

Subsequent injuries to Michael Owen, Scott Parker and Shola Ameobi have scuppered that plan, with Amdy Faye's departure to the African Nations Cup stretching Souness' midfield resources even further.

Lee Bowyer remains a likely bargaining tool - the one-time England international is desperate to return to his native London - but he will only be sold if Souness is guaranteed another midfielder in return. If Charlton were to follow up their interest in the 29-year-old, that midfielder would have to be Danny Murphy.

"With Amdy away, midfield is another area we'd like to strengthen," confirmed Souness. "I think we're going to have to be creative in the transfer market.

"If Lee Bowyer is to go back to London, I'd like to think we'd be getting another midfielder because, otherwise, we cannot afford to lose him. With the players we've got missing we don't have much room for manoeuvre in terms of raising funds."

At least Souness has the satisfaction of welcoming Stephen Carr back into his squad this afternoon. The Republic of Ireland international has been embroiled in controversy this week, with Souness admitting the pair held a heated discussion ahead of last week's game at Tottenham, but denying their disagreement amounted to a bust-up.

At least one member of Newcastle's backroom staff is known to be unhappy with the length of time it has taken Carr to regain full fitness following a hernia operation - Alan Shearer was back in action three weeks after similar surgery - but his return still represents a timely boost.

"Stephen and I have not fallen out," maintained Souness. "People have said we have had a fall-out, which suggests we were going to have a boxing match or something.

"That is not the case. We had words and I think that's the best way to sum it up. It was not a bust-up and he is back in the squad.

"I'm delighted he is back. Peter Ramage has done very well, but he is a centre-half playing out of position.

"Playing as a full-back in the modern game is about going forward and making telling passes as well as defending. That is not Peter's strength."

Carr is likely to return to the starting line-up later today as Newcastle attempt to brush aside a Mansfield side currently struggling in 20th position in League Two.

Michael Chopra will start up front in the absence of both Owen and Ameobi, but all eyes will be on his strike-partner, Shearer, as he looks for the two goals he needs to break Jackie Milburn's all-time scoring record for the Magpies.

"I'm not going to wind up Mansfield by saying Alan will score the two goals he needs," said Souness.

"The key word when a big team plays a lower-league club is respect. We have to give them respect.

"It will be the biggest game some of their players have ever played.

"It will be a very hard game for us and we have to be ready for them.

"But I'm only concentrating on what we have to do.

"They'll think it's a good time to play us because a lot of our big players are missing.

"This is a big game - the biggest in Mansfield's history - but we have to come out with a victory."

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