Keegan: I need to sign new players but they must be better than the ones I have

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'We not only will add new faces, we have to,' he warned.

Keegan, who takes his side to Hartlepool tomorrow for the first pre-season friendly, has only added Jonas Gutierrez and Danny Guthrie so far in the close season, and he let four players go at the end of the last campaign.

One of two: Jonas Gutierrez is half of the new signings at Newcastle - so far

But the Toon boss wants new blood in before the season kicks off at champions Manchester United.

Keegan said: 'What we've got to ensure is that we don't get players in just for the sake of it. It's easy to bring in players and they're all the same, then you're left trying to pick from a bunch of players and you say "well he's as good as him."

'But of course, to get the players in that are going to spark the others off and add something to the team will always be a little bit more difficult.

'We'll keep going on those fronts. We've tried for a few and not always been successful.'

Newcastle are in a four-team scrap for Slavia Prague defender Marek Suchy, who has also provoked interest from Everton, Aston Villa and Glasgow Rangers.

The 20-year-old Czech defender will cost around £3 million and he may be ready for a move to the Premier League.

Suchy said: 'There's a couple of clubs from the Premier League that want me now, namely Newcastle and Villa, as well as Everton and Rangers.

'The chance of me leaving is still there but Slavia have not received a formal offer yet, that is the problem.'

A host of Newcastle players have been linked with moves away from St James's Park and Keegan may have a battle on his hands to keep Obafemi Martins and James Milner, while Damien Duff must fight for his future.

But Keegan added: 'Obviously there will always be talk of players leaving because we've got some very good players here but they will only leave here if we want them to, that's for sure.

'We are not looking to sell our top class players, we want to add top class players to play alongside them.'