Steve McClaren will wait until Fabricio Coloccini is fully fit until making a decision on the Newcastle United captain's future amid reported interested from Crystal Palace.
Former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is said to be eager to be reunited with centre-back Coloccini at Palace, while Olympiacos have also been linked with the 33-year-old Argentinian.
Long-serving skipper Coloccini is currently sidelined with an Achilles injury and Newcastle head coach McClaren wants to see the former man Deportivo La Coruna in action before making a call on whether he remains at the club.
Speaking after a 2-1 friendly defeat against York City on Wednesday, the former England boss said: "I've heard speculation [about a move to Palace] but I've come in and said to Lee [Charnley, managing director] and the board that we want to see him training and playing.
"I haven't done that so I can't make a decision on the future at the present moment."
Asked when Coloccini will return to action, McClaren added: "That's a good question and we want to see him out on the field. He's not [playing] but we have to get to that situation very soon.
"I've come in, he's done well in training, got a niggle but we want to see him playing. He's captain and the rest of the players want him on the field, we hope he is sooner rather than later."
Anderlecht full-back Chancel Mbemba is set to become Newcastle's latest new recruit and McClaren is in the market for more fresh faces.
He added: "We're always looking, they'll be the right players, but I'm delighted with the players we've got. Delighted with their attitudes - results are not important in pre-season, performances are."
