Exclusive - Newcastle legend warns Pardew he's only got five games to get things right

Newcastle legend Warren Barton has told boss Alan Pardew he does not have long to get things right at St James' Park before the fans get on his back again.

The Magpies suffered a troubled season last time out, finishing 10th but losing six matches on the trot at one stage, leading approximately 7,000 furious Toon Army fans to walk out in protest during the 3-0 victory over Cardiff in the final home game of the season.

Pardew was spared the sack by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and has since brought in six new signings to Tyneside this summer, but Barton believes that will make little difference if the boss does not get immediately get things right on the pitch.

"I think Alan has got maybe five or six games and then the pressure will start to mount again," he told the Sports Bar.

"They've gone into the transfer market and bought good players but I know what the St James' fans are like. They want top class players."

And Barton believes United's lack of leaders on the pitch could once again cost them this season.

"They have gone so far with the French influence. If it's going well it's perfect, if it doesn't then you start getting problems. I don't think they've got a character in there that can really lift them.

"When I was there we had Alan Shearer, Rob Lee, Gary Speed and Shay Given to help the younger players coming through. I don't think they've got that, I think as soon as they get off that bus they're going in different directions and they're not together as a team.

"When it's going well it's easy, it's when it's not that you really need leadership."

Transfer rumours and paper review - Friday, August 1

Here's the top transfer-related stories in Friday's newspapers...

Arsenal have been told transfer target Juan Quintero, 21, will only be allowed to leave Porto if the Colombian midfielder's £32m release clause is activated. (Daily Express)

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed the Italian club's interest in Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 26, although he is not the only name on his list. (Daily Telegraph)

Liverpool are closing in on a double deal for Spanish defenders Alberto Moreno, 22, of Sevilla and Javier Manquillo, 20, of Atletico Madrid. (Daily Star)

West Ham have held contract talks with unattached former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, and are also considering a move for Besiktas's 30-year-old forward Hugo Almeida. (The Times)

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is ready to bid £14m for Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa, 25, having already enquired about the availability of the Japan international. (Daily Express)

QPR have turned their attention to 29-year-old Marseille midfielder Morgan Amalfitano, who ended last season on loan at West Brom. Their bid to sign Iceland's Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, 24, from Ajax has stalled over personal terms. (Daily Mail)

Manchester City midfielder James Milner, 28, is keeping the club waiting over signing his new contract as he weighs up his future at the Premier League champions. (The Independent)

Pizarro strike lifts Bayern to win over Chivas

Claudio Pizarro scored the only goal as Bayern Munich beat Chivas Guadalajara 1-0 on Thursday in a friendly match at Red Bull arena to launch the Bundesliga champions' US tour.

Pep Guardiola's men controlled the majority of possession and took the lead in the 10th minute when Pizarro slotted home Franck Ribery's corner.

Pizarro nearly had two more goals in the first half, with Carlos Fierro getting Chivas' best chance to equalise in the 81st minute, only for Bayern goalkeeper Tom Starke's save to preserve the winning margin.

A crowd of 25,073 fans turned out for the match at the home of Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey.

Bayern, who hadn't played a pre-season match in the United States since 2004, next heads across the country to Portland, Oregon, where they will take on a team of MLS All-Stars in the North American league's annual mid-season showcase on Wednesday.

It's all part of Bayern's bid to raise their profile in the United States, a move that other European clubs - notably such English Premier League outfits as Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool - have already made. The club has opened a US office in Manhattan, and is launching a US website.

A majority of Bayern's German internationals - including goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and FIFA World Cup™-winning goal-scorer Mario Gotze - are still resting after their triumphant campaign in Brazil.

Nor did the sell-out crowd get to see 19-year-old German-American Julian Green, who scored as a substitute for the US in their 2-1 World Cup loss to Belgium. Green only recently returned to training after picking up a minor knee injury and Guardiola opted to play it safe with the youngster.

But France's Ribery - who missed the World Cup with a back injury - looked sharp as he ably exploited Guadalajara's defence. The Mexican side finally resorted to fouling him repeatedly, with both Jair Pereira and Jesus Sanchez Garcia receiving yellow cards after tangling with him.

After Guadalajara's Fernando Arce pulled a shot wide in the eighth minute, Bayern went ahead. Ribery curled a corner toward the near post where Pizarro headed it home.

Ribery set up Pizarro again in the 24th, but the Peruvian's shot was wide. Guadalajara's best chance to level the score came in the 81st when Fierro controlled a cross on his chest before slamming a shot from six yards out straight at Starke.

Bayern put the ball in the net once more in injury time, but Lucas Scholl's effort was ruled out for offside.

I'll be 100 per cent for Barça - Neymar

Neymar expects to be 100 per cent fit for Barcelona by the time the new Spanish La Liga campaign kicks off. The Brazilian forward fractured his third lumbar vertebra during the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final with Colombia after being challenged by Juan Camilo Zuniga.

Neymar was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the tournament, but the 22-year-old has told Japanese media he is now well on his way back to full fitness.

"I am recovering from the injury day by day. I'll be coming back to Barcelona 100 per cent fit," he is quoted as saying on Barcelona's official website. "I want to have a really good season and I'm looking forward to helping my team-mates to get some good results."

The 22-year-old is currently in Japan taking part in a series of promotional events and is due to return to Barca on 5 August. He is targeting the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Club Leon on 18 August, which is a week before the 2014-15 La Liga season begins.