NEWPORT County could be set for one of the coups of the summer with Wales international Darcy Blake set to stay at Rodney Parade for the 2014/15 season, the Argus can reveal.

The 25-year old from New Tredegar is a proven commodity in the Football League, having excelled for Cardiff City enough to make himself a regular in the Wales team under late manager Gary Speed.

A lucrative move to the Premier League with Crystal Palace didn’t work out and now Blake has confessed he’s giving serious consideration to signing a permanent deal with the Exiles after arriving in Newport on non-contract terms back in March as a free agent after Tony Pulis agreed to rip-up his contract.

As you’d expect, there is plenty of interest in Blake, but the man capped 14-times by his country, could be ready to commit to a stay in Gwent and League Two.

“I don’t know for sure on the future, I will sit down with my agent and take a little break and then decide,” he said.

“But I’ve spoken to the manager and the coaching staff here and I’m happy and I’m happy playing, we will see in the next couple of weeks.

“It’s between me and Newport County, whether other teams come in or not, I’m yet to know, but I expect to make a decision earlier rather than later.

“I came here to play games and I’ve played a few and it’s not different next season, I want a full season and if it is here, it’s here.

“There is potential here, you’ve seen in some of the games, we’ve been better than some of the sides in the play-offs and been unlucky not to get wins.

“We need to touch up on fine details next season, but there is potential here and it’s all about playing games for me.

“The manager would like me to sign and he understands my situation.”

Blake, who became a first time father in the past year, insists the balance between professional and personal is important to him.

“It’s important for me to be at home, that’s what I enjoy, being back with my family, I’ve got a young family, my daughter is only just one-year old, so travelling all the time is quite hard,” he said.

“Newport is right on the doorstep and it’s hard being away from kids, it makes me happy to be around my family and to be playing your best football you need to be happy.

“I wouldn’t consider staying if I wasn’t impressed with the club; they’ve definitely shown me a lot in my time here.

“I’ve heard rumours of new training facilities and if I do sign I’ll be looking forward to that and to the pitch being sorted out. It’s all good really.”