Newcastle United have agreed a fee with Marseille for the signing of striker Loic Remy, according to the French club's president Vincent Labrune.

After Demba Ba left in the first week of the January transfer window for Chelsea, manager Alan Pardew has been searching for a new striker to assist the club's fight against relegation.

And a deal has been struck with Marseille to bring Remy to St James' Park, with talks set to begin between the two clubs this week.

Loic Remy
Remy could assist Newcastle's troubles.

"We have an agreement in principle with Newcastle, it is true," Labrune said. "We have therefore given Loïc permission to chat with them. For the rest, we must wait patiently."

Following his side's drab goalless draw against Norwich City at the weekend, Pardew said: "It is pretty obvious that we need another striker.

"We didn't really have the chance to mix it up or an option so we had to stick to the game plan that we had at the start of the game.

"Norwich could bring on Grant Holt to change the game plan a bit but we don't have that luxury."

Having already seen Ba leave the club, Pardew could be set to lose another of his prized assets in full-back Davide Santon, who is attracting interest from AC Milan.

Milan assistant coach Mauro Tassotti said: "I know that Santon was a promising youngster and I don't think he has lost those qualities.

"It would be good for Italian football to have him back in the country. Mattia De Sciglio has always been comfortable on his right or his left foot. He has grown a great deal and is an important player for our squad."

Santon has been among Newcastle's most consistent performers, starting every league game this season amid the club's domestic troubles.

Yohan Cabaye did return to first-team action after his long injury lay-off in the draw with Norwich, but one of those still to make a comeback is Hatem Ben Arfa, who has talked up a potential move to Paris Saint Germain in the summer.

"I am under contract with Newcastle and I'm fine," Ben Arfa told Le Parisien. "First, I must save my club. I only think of that. Help my team and my coach, with whom I get along great. We really want to fight for him.

"The fans are great too. Once we have saved the club, you never know. To sign for PSG would be a childhood dream. If there is a proposal, I will study it with interest.

"If there is a proposal. The 'if' is important."