But where will he fit into the team?
Will local kid Paul Dummett make way?
It seems so because Pardew sees Santon in a different light to most of the supporters.
Santon makes pretty patterns down the left wing but cannot defend to save his life.
Alan Pardew: “Davide is getting closer.
"He’s another player who is very important and technically improves us because he keeps the ball.
“That’s something which in the second half of the season we have two areas to improve on, retention of the ball and goalscoring.”