Loic Remy tops the urgent buys list for Newcastle

Magpies must move quickly to replace Demba Ba

Loïc Rémy has been lined up to replace Demba Ba (Getty Images)

Newcastle United will look to quickly conclude the transfers of Loïc Rémy and Mathieu Debuchy, following the expected exit of Demba Ba to Chelsea.

Debuchy was at St James' Park for Newcastle's game with Everton last night and will have a medical today, with terms already agreed on a near £5 million transfer from Lille. He was ready to move to Tyneside last summer but a fee could then not be agreed for the France right-back.

The deal to sign Rémy will also have renewed urgency now that Ba's saga looks set to conclude with his £7.5m transfer to Stamford Bridge this morning. Newcastle are prepared to pay £10m to sign the 26-year-old forward from Marseilles. Rémy has fallen out of favour at Stade Vélodrome this season, after moving there in 2010 from Nice for £13.5m. His first two seasons were successful, when he scored 27 goals in 60 Ligue 1 starts.

His versatility is also something that has appealed to Alan Pardew, the Newcastle manager, with the player comfortable playing either through the middle as a central striker or out wide. He has also picked up 17 caps for France.

Newcastle know, in light of a poor run of results, that they need to strengthen a squad that has failed to cope with the double demands of a Premier League campaign and a Europa League run.

They also hope to sign a commanding central defender before the window closes at the end of the month. Newcastle were interested in Douglas from FC Twente in the summer and he is a player they remain keen on.

Current right-back Danny Simpson is expected to have left the club by the time the window closes and Pardew has told his board of directors he would like to sign at least two new defenders this month.