PETER Ramage's elevation to Newcastle United's first team looks likely to prevent Andy King from transforming admiration into a County Ground loan deal over the summer.

The Town boss admits he is a fan of the 21-year-old defender (pictured), who made his first Premiership start for the Magpies in their 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday.

King's record in the loan market is impressive and a portion of his summer wish list features a 'temporary' section.

He said: "The boy Ramage has just come into the first team at Newcastle.

"He's someone I like, but then what you like you don't always get.

"With the Spurs situation last year I was hoping to get either Philip Ifil, Jerel's brother, or Stephen Kelly."

The manager has been unlucky before when it comes to targets suddenly being elevated out of his reach.

Shortly after returning to the County Ground in December 2001, King tried to land Sunderland striker Kevin Kyle on loan, only for the forward to suddenly find himself propelled into the Scotland squad and then the Black Cats' first team.

While Ramage looks unlikely to be a 'tick' on King's list, he is already hard at work scouring the market for fresh faces.

The manager, who is at reserve matches every night this week, insists it isn't a case of sitting down after the final match of the campaign and simply drawing up names the list is an on-going project.

He said: "You add names and take them away depending on various factors during a year.

"Finances obviously come into it. As I said, we can all say what we want but can you afford it?"

King, who yesterday revealed he wants six new players in the summer, said: "You start at the top of your list and you hope you don't get too far down it before you get a 'yes'.

"It might be that the movement over the summer could include a long-term loan, I don't know.

"At the moment, though, everyone is waiting to see what the changes to the transfer window will mean for clubs."