• Manager hails ‘very, very decent’ transfer talks with Mike Ashley• Bruce suggests any January signing may not be a forward
Steve Bruce has emerged from “very, very decent” transfer talks with Mike Ashley adamant that he will not be pushed into making a panic buy this month. Newcastle’s manager would rather take the risk of not signing a striker than waste money on a substandard recruit.
Newcastle are only five points above the relegation zone as they prepare for Saturday evening’s meeting with
Chelsea at St James’ Park and the less than prolific Joelinton is their sole fit forward but Bruce – very much in the market for reinforcement in central midfield and on the wing – hinted his priorities could lie elsewhere. “We’re still quietly confident we can pull one major big one off,” said Newcastle’s manager before adding that the player in question is “not necessarily” a striker.