ALAN Pardew will delay naming Newcastle United’s new club captain until the end of the pre-season period.

With former skipper Kevin Nolan having joined West Ham, the Magpies need a new figurehead to take on the armband.

The likes of Steve Harper, Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini will all be considered, along with any high-profile signings who arrive before the start of the new campaign.

However, Pardew insists he will not be rushed into a decision, and the Magpies manager may try out a number of possible candidates in his side’s pre-season matches.

“I have ideas, but I will probably pick it with a week to go,” said Pardew, who must also identify a new custodian of Newcastle’s iconic number nine shirt. “We will see how pre-season unfolds and see how the squad assembles itself, how it looks and what shape it is in.

“I will then take a view from there because it is an important role, and a few players could wear the armband during the pre-season friendlies.”

Newcastle remain confident of signing Swansea left-back Neil Taylor, although negotiations are currently in the hands of the two clubs’ lawyers.

Magpies officials are confident a clause in Taylor’s contract enables them to sign him for £1m, but the Swans view the issue somewhat differently.

Two transfers were confirmed yesterday, with Sylvain Marveaux formally arriving as a free agent and fellow Frenchman Mehdi Abeid joining from Lens.

Abeid, a France Under-19 international who also qualifies to play for Algeria, underwent a successful trial on Tyneside towards the end of last season.

He will initially join Newcastle’s reserves squad, but could be featuring for the first team before the end of next season.

“We are delighted to bring Mehdi to the club,” said the Magpies’ development coach Peter Beardsley. “He is a bright, young talent and we think he has an exciting future ahead of him.

“After an impressive trial with us earlier in the year, I am looking forward to working with Mehdi and developing his talent.”