Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is eager for skipper Fabricio Coloccini to pen new deal.

Coloccini is off contract in June.

Pardew said: "Fabricio represents everything I like. He was the number one choice to be captain and there wasn't really a number two in the running. He was always going to be the captain unless he suffered an injury.

"I admire him as much as a person as a player and there are not many players I would say that about. He's really fantastic the perfect character to be captain of this club.

"I hope we get his new contract signed and he will be here as captain for next three or four years because he is very influential in the everything I want to do."