Newcastle United chief scout Graham Carr would like to see the club sign six senior players this summer.
Carr has been working overtime this year lining up transfer targets for manager Alan Pardew to consider.
"We are looking at a lot of players. We have teams of players that we're looking at lined up in 4-4-2 formations because we want to have someone in every position," he told the Sunday Sun.
"I think we need half a dozen players in summer, to be honest. That is a personal opinion, mind, but that is what I'm working towards - having options to put before the manager when the season is over.
"And we won't just watch a player once. With someone like Cheick, it was the result of four years watching him. I'd first seen him playing for Roda against Arsenal in 2006 - they were hammered 4-0 I think, but you could tell he was going to be a good player. He never stopped running.
"So you keep an eye on him and track his progress, which is where we are with plenty of other players.
"People will all look at Arsene Wenger and say he's got the French market covered, but we've got a good handle on it, believe me. The same is true of other countries too. You know you're not on your own - you know there is competition out there from other English clubs and you have to be realistic - you can't keep everything you're doing off the radar.
"A player that I was watching last weekend we've been watching for months, yet suddenly there were six scouts there from English clubs, all probably watching the same player.
"The key is to react quickly - that is what will get us our targets. That and the fact that Newcastle United is a big, big draw overseas."
