CHRIS HUGHTON wants to bring in four players during the current transfer window and has expressed admiration for his number one striker target Jermaine Beckford.

After seeing Matthew Kilgallon decide to see out his contract with Sheffield United, Hughton is determined to land Beckford but admits he may have to be patient.

Beckford submitted a written transfer request a fortnight ago and Newcastle remain front-runners for the forward’s signature despite interest from Stoke and Hull.

Bates has rejected a Newcastle bid of £1.25m with Leeds thought to be holding out for a fee closer to £3m.

Hughton was reluctant to confirm Newcastle are ready to give Leeds a final take-itor- leave-it offer for the 26- year-old who’s scored 16 goals in 21 league starts this season.

“I think it will be governed by him and how many offers he has,” said Hughton, who saw Beckford score the winner against Manchester United in the FA Cup last Sunday.

“Again, he is one of the few players we have shown an interest in.

“ I don’t think he is any better a player than he was before Sunday or any worse. Of course, the (Manchester) United game has lifted his profile.You have to look at what he’s done, the goals he’s scored at Leeds. With anybody you never know their qualities until you see them perform at that level, but I do think he’s a good player.”

With Geremi expected to join Turkish side Ankaragucu, and the loan deals for Marlon Harewood, Danny Simpson and Zurab Zhivanishvili all ending, Hughton is concerned that his squad is short of numbers.

Simpson’s loan expires after the game against West Brom on January 18 and Newcastle are keen to tie the Man United defender to a permanent contract.

If deals can be agreed to secure Beckford and Simpson then Hughton expects to add another two players to his squad. He admits that he has been inundated with calls from agents but he has been shocked by some of the high calibre players on offer.

“There are a lot of surprise names being thrown or put to me who I am surprised about because you would not have thought they were available,”

he said.

“And that is different levels of players but where we are at the moment, I am very,very happy with the squad. I do not feel I need to add an awful lot to the squad.

“Of course, it is also a time for agents to do their business.

They wouldn’t think they were doing their job right if they were not throwing lots of names at you and that is what it has been like.”