Aly Cissokho
Aly Cissokho has admitted he is close to joining Newcastle United. REUTERS REUTERS

Aly Cissokho has revealed Newcastle have enquired over his future at Lyon but stressed the two clubs have yet to agree a fee.

Cissokho, 24, has been heavily linked with a move to Tyneside since the summer but it now appears likely the France international will leave the Ligue 1 side in January.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has challenged his side to build on their excellent start to the season and push on towards European qualification, following the 1-0 win against QPR on Sunday to move into sixth.

Pardew remains eager to bolster his Newcastle squad - the smallest in the Premier League - in the current transfer window and it appears Cissokho is the manager's primary target.

"I am waiting for the green light from Lyon," Cissokho told Sky Sports. "I am a Lyon player and if they agree a fee with a club, I will then talk to that club.

"But nothing is done yet and I have not been to Newcastle for a medical. Newcastle and Lyon are talking about me, but there are other teams interested as well."

Pardew has urged Newcastle fans not to get carried away with recent transfer talk involving a move for Lille's Eden Hazard.

Reports on Saturday suggested Hazard had been spotted en route to Newcastle's training ground, amid speculation the club were lining up a bid for the Belgian international.

Hazard was due on Tyneside but only to watch his former team-mate Yohan Cabaye and in the end, the Lille playmaker could not make it as he was due to play in France on Sunday.

And Pardew called on Newcastle's loyal fans not to pay too much attention to such reports and to apply some common sense when names such as Hazard's are mentioned in association with the club.

"It's unfair on our fans - they'll be looking up Hazard and people like that," he told the Evening Chronicle.

"The guy's worth about £36m - he ain't coming here. I'd love him to come here. If he was at the training ground, I'd rather have been there than at the game!

"He wasn't, and unfortunately I don't think he will be."