Alan Pardew has insisted that it would be difficult for any clubs to tempt Cheick Tiote away from Newcastle United during the January transfer window.
The Magpies boss has recently had to deal with reported interest from Chelsea regarding the Ivory Coast international.
Pardew claimed: "We are always on our guard with Cheick because we realise that to us, he is very, very important and it would be very, very difficult to get him out of here."
Tiote signed a six-and-a-half-year contract in February of this year but Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with a move for the 25-year-old.
Despite Pardew's assurances, the former West Ham United manager realises that a large bid could leave the club with a difficult decision to make.
Pardew said: "You never know with the window. It's such a minefield of possibilities."
Tiote joined Newcastle United in August 2010 from FC Twente for a fee of £3.5m.
Written by
Callum Mulvihill
Callum Mulvihill
