“We have identified transfer targets and when this blows over, we will make the moves to get them. We know what we need.”
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has told the press that he will add ‘three or four quality players in the summer’.
With the outbreak of coronavirus putting huge amounts of doubt into the future of this season, clubs will be lining up their targets during these insecure times so that they are ready to pounce when a decision is made.
Yesterday, a call was made to suspend all football for levels below the National League North/South, with all of their results being expunged. What lies ahead for the levels above that remains to be seen, but the return date of April 30 seems rather unlikely at this stage.
As the Chronicle report, there is a lot of confusion as it stands regarding the expiry date of contracts and when exactly the transfer window will take place, but regardless to these facets, it’s a big window for the Newcastle boss as he looks to kick on from this season.
Bruce told the Telegraph: “The plan is to grow and improve.
“We will add three or four quality players in the summer to the experienced core we have got. Players like Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin, who everybody can see have improve us.
Of course, United are not safe yet. If the league season gets up and running again, the Magpies have an eight-point buffer on the relegation zone with nine games to play, but also four teams separating them from red dotted line.
This means that another win or two and they should be safe, unless something really out of the ordinary happens.
The report suggests that Bruce is looking to bring in a dynamic central midfielder as well as a striker who is more potent in front of goal.
Given that Joelinton just hasn’t worked out for the club, a striker with a goalscoring touch is one which is really needed.
Elsewhere, the midfield and wing areas could be improved, so to hear Bruce say that he will add three or four quality players at the level of Saint-Maximin and Almiron is encouraging to hear for fans. Whether they believe it will happen is a different question.