Alan Pardew quotes, January 12th (after a 0-0 draw at Norwich City during which new signing French international Mathieu Debuchy debuted)

"We are not pursuing just one player, it’s three or four, and they all seem to be warming up a little bit. We need a bigger pool of players and we will try to deal with that in this window."

Alan Pardew quotes January 17th (after French striker Loic Remy decided to join QPR instead of Newcastle):

"The club is on a solid financial footing but we won't pay silly money. We made a fantastic Premier League offer. The player (Remy) made a decision and stood by it.

"We need a replacement for Demba Ba, it is important that we don't make a knee-jerk reaction. We need to be strong for the second half of the season. We need one or two players to strengthen our position."

Alan Pardew quotes, January 19th (after a 1-2 home defeat to Reading): 

"We definitely need two or three more players in this group, and hopefully we can get them over the line before we go to Villa. I would like to go to Villa stronger than I was today.We need some impetus in terms of signings." 

Alan Pardew quotes, January 25th (after four French-based players completed moves to SJP in as many days):

"It's nothing to do with foreign players, it's nothing to do with where a player comes from, it's just about getting good players. It was obvious last weekend against Reading that we needed to make changes very, very quickly and we have done that.

"There were key areas in the team which needed strengthening. Some of the transfers we have accelerated - ones we were perhaps going to do in the summer - and we have had to accelerate them because of the situation we are in and the injury problems we have had.

"The players we have brought in - without giving too much away - will add some pace to our team, some energy and energise some of the players we already have. We look in a lot better shape than we were six or seven days ago, and that's how it should be.

"The most important thing for a Premier League team is competition. It's not necessarily about the players who come in, it's about the effect they have on the players already here.

"There has already been an increase in the intensity level of training since the arrival of these players, and that's what we need. Some of our players have perhaps been playing under no pressure in terms of their performances, but we will be better with competition like this."
 


Tuesday: Central defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa joined on a five and half year deal from Montpellier for a claimed £7m. Born in the Central African Republic and brought up in the Marseille area, the 23 year-old has three full international caps for France. 

He later spoke to French newspaper L'Equipe:

How have your first 24 hours in Newcastle been?

Good…but tiring! As soon as I arrived, I passed my medical, visited the training ground, held a press conference, I'm not used to all that! This is my first transfer. I was quite surprised by everything that had been arranged for me. In France, people don't consider Newcastle as a big club, but I can tell you that from the inside, Newcastle is a very big club. I'm not used to such a big club, unfortunately there is nothing like this at Montpellier.

Was deciding to leave a difficult decision?

It's tough to leave your home-town club, yes. I'd done everything at Montpellier, so you could say my time there was done… I am very happy, and yet at the same time, sad. It's a strange feeling, one I've never felt before.

When did you decide to leave?

I've been thinking about it for a while now. At the start of the season, I had a few options, but Montpellier couldn't reach an agreement with AC Milan. I decided to stay, and renew my contract until 2015, but I always had in mind that I might leave. Then Newcastle came along, there's a real project going on here. In terms of integration, there are lots of French players here, I thought if players such as Cabaye, Debuchy, or even Ben Arfa have come here, then it must be a good place.

Is your goal to shine at Newcastle in order to catch the eye of bigger English clubs?

My goal is to impose myself, and succeed here. After, if I'm playing well, who knows. But Newcastle is a big club, a big club with a big project, which wants to be one of the best 5 teams in the Premier League. People are criticising my choice, but if I chose another club, people would criticise that too, that's just football.

Your ex-president, Louis Nicollin, can't understand your choice, calling you an idiot. Did that hurt you? Or make you angry?

No. He was my president, what can you say? He was like my dad, I know how he is. I think he's sad about me leaving as much as anything else. I know he didn't say it to upset me.

Newcastle are sixteenth in the premier league, does that worry you?

No. It's a club going through a difficult time, but we'll soon climb the table, I'm sure of it.

You've had a few problems on the pitch in the past couple of months; did you need to leave to improve your game?

Yes, to find my highest level and to continue progressing. I needed a new challenge. Our next game is at Aston Villa on Tuesday. I don't know when I'll next get to play, but I'm excited."

Wednesday: Striker Yoan Gouffran became a Magpie, moving from Bordeaux for a claimed £1.4m and signing a four and half year deal. The 26 year-old former French U21 international was in the final six months of his contract and played at SJP in a Europa League tie during October 2012. He's a former Bordeaux team mate of Gabriel Obertan.

He shares the same birthday (25.05) as Demba Ba, although Gouffran is a year younger. 

Gouffran spoke after signing to say:

"When I played here with Bordeaux, the stadium was not even full, but the atmosphere was already fantastic. I can only imagine that when this stadium is at full capacity with the supporters really behind us, we are going to play really well.

"That's one of the reasons why I came here - I knew we had a fantastic stadium and an absolutely fantastic set of supporters. First of all to settle in well, secondly to show that I'm a good enough player to be able to play and handle myself in the Premier League and to score as many goals as I can."

Thursday: It was the turn of left back Massadio Haidara to move from AS Nancy for a fee reported to be £3m. The 20 year-old French U21 international  signed a five and a half year deal.

He later spoke to L'Equipe:

In signing for Newcastle, do you really feel like you’re moving abroad?

No, you would think we were in France (laughs). It’s a French Ligue 1 team playing in the English top flight. I haven’t yet had the chance to meet everybody, only Mapou (Yanga-Mbwia) and Yoan (Gouffran). We saw each other when we had our medicals and we’re in the same hotel. It’s good, we’re going to see a lot of each other.

Did the fact that there were already ten French players at the club influence your decision?

Yes, it was a factor. I’m still very young and need support from others. Going abroad is a step in to the unknown so it’s going to make it easier for me to settle.

You’re a French U21 international and the club is going to get a lot of attention in France, including from the French U21 manager. Have you thought about that?

I’m just going to try to adapt well to the English game, become a first team regular and perform well. I don’t want to jump the gun.

Was it your decision to leave Nancy this winter or did they say it was in the best interest of the club for you to do so?

The ideal situation for me would have been to finish the season with Nancy and then leave in June. But as the move suited the club’s management and it was a big club that was in for me, it wasn’t a problem for me.

There were Italian clubs in for you too. Why did you opt for the Magpies?

It’s true that Fiorentina, Roma and Milan were interested but I wanted to play in the Premier League. It’s the league that attracted me the most and which best suits my style of play. When Newcastle made their move, I didn’t hesitate.

In moving there, you are going from one mess to another.

It’s not as bad, the situation is not critical yet. Also, I saw a few of Newcastle’s matches at the beginning of the season. In the main they had the upper hand on the opposition but didn’t get that bit of luck they needed to win. We’ll be back on our feet soon, I’m not worried.

Do you think it will be the same for Nancy?

The last six months have been mentally draining but I hope with all my heart that they beat the drop. Nancy is a great club which doesn’t deserve a season like this, where nothing goes right.
 
Friday: The signing of midfielder Moussa Sissoko from Toulouse was completed. The 23 year-old signed a six and a half year deal and was out of contract this summer, a fee of £2m has been speculated upon. He has eight full caps for France.

Sissoko had earlier said that:

"Newcastle are a very good club, despite the fact that they are fairly low down in the standings at the moment. They have quality players and had a brilliant season last year. That is what motivated me to go to this club.

"I will get game time at Newcastle, and it is important for me as a player to play as much football as possible. I think Newcastle is the ideal club."

PS: Regarding Europa League participation for the new boys, UEFA rules state:

18.18 For all matches from the start of the round of 32, a club may register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition. Such registration must be completed by 1 February 2013.

18.19 One player from the above quota of three who has been fielded in a UEFA club competition group stage match for another club in the current season may exceptionally be registered, provided that the player has not been fielded: a) in the same competition for another club; or b) for another club that is currently in the same competition.

Debuchy is eligible as he only played in the CL for Lille, if registered as the "one player from the quota" 

Gouffran isn't eligible as he played for Bordeaux in the Europa League

Haidara is eligible if registered by NUFC as one of the "three new eligible players"

Sissoko is eligible if registered by NUFC as one of the "three new eligible players"

Yanga-Mbiwa is eligible as he only played in the CL for Montpellier, if registered as the "one player from the quota"