There were a couple of reports yesterday that Steve Bruce wants to add two players in January. The first reference was in a Chronicle piece in which Lee Ryder stated the following:
For Bruce, who hopes to sign a winger and a mobile central midfielder in January, he knows this is only the first phase of his stint in charge.
In a Q&A also in the Chronicle, Mark Douglas reaffirmed what his colleague had stated. This is what Douglas wrote when asked which players Newcastle could be pursuing in January:
United want a couple in January and they’ve been scouting in France, Portugal and Spain recently. There’s also been a renewed focus on the Championship and domestically at possible targets they could take out of their Premier League rivals. The focus has been on attacking midfielders who can add a bit of threat.
Jarrod Bowen of Hull City keeps getting mentioned to me and he’s someone the club have been monitoring for a while. He ticks all the boxes: he’s young, talented and Newcastle can offer him first team chances
Bowen was scouted this summer and has been touted as a top target ever since. His name is the one that gets brought up most often as a target for January.
The 22-year-old’s current contract runs until next summer though Hull City have a clause that can trigger another year. We would imagine Hull would likely activate that clause to keep him until 2021.
Interestingly, Hull have been experimenting with Jarrod Bowen in a more central role recently. This is what Hull Live journalist Philip Buckingham had to say when asked about Bowen playing in the middle against Cardiff a few weeks back:
An interesting issue this one. Personally, I don’t think a central role plays to Jarrod Bowen’s strengths. He likes to get at full-backs and force them on to the back foot with his dribbling and pace.
You need a different skill-set to play as a number 10 and it’s something he would have to work on. That’s not to say it isn’t an option once a game is unfolding. I thought Bowen did pretty well against Cardiff on Saturday but that came at a point when the game was starting to become stretched.
Bowen is definitely a talent that likely can make the jump to the Premier League. He is still on his original deal from 2016 when he joined Hull on a free transfer from Hereford United. So he will be on minuscule wages for a player of his ability.
The fact that he has not signed a new deal by this point after two stellar seasons in the Championship could show an inclination that the winger is ready to move.
Hull City put a £20m price tag on Bowen in the summer. We would expect them to try and hold out for that this winter, though with his contract running down a bid in the £15m range could be enough to get a deal done.
16 comments so far
Assassins Inc
Oct 10, 2019 at 2:21 PM
Comment #1Won’t happen, end of, Mike still owns the club so 100% it will not happen. We have more chance of getting blood from a stone than Ashley giving Bruce 40 odd million for players this Jan.
Mindshaft
Oct 10, 2019 at 2:43 PM
Comment #2Nufc-83 – what makes you so sure Schar will sign a new deal, I imagine if Arsenal or one of the bigger teams come in for him he’ll be gone for sure.
Just a fan
Oct 10, 2019 at 2:51 PM
Comment #3Schar.
Never seems like a player who is here for the long term.also can be a bit of a hot head.
Not a bad player but not one I would miss or find irreplaceable.
Munster Mag
Oct 10, 2019 at 2:51 PM
Comment #4Jail I dont see the point of wanting SB sacked. If he picks up a standard kind if points haul, will you still want him out. Id rather give him a few more games at least, and see what pans out? There again you’re a bitter pill with an agenda and i’m not.
carltoon
Oct 10, 2019 at 2:56 PM
Comment #5Jail once a day. I was well and truly told off for calling Rebecca Vardy, a bitch, which I apologize to NYmag for. So can I just say she’s a really nasty piece of work, Gold digger, shameless social climber, and she should watch who she hangs out with.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:02 PM
Comment #6Ha ha, you didn’t have an agenda, you’re deluded man!!!
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:03 PM
Comment #7What is a standard points haul for the eighth richest club in the PL.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:05 PM
Comment #8carltoon,
Why apologise to NYMag, is she a mate of his?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:06 PM
Comment #9Just a fan,
What makes you think that, have you followed his career for the last ten years?
martoon
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:08 PM
Comment #10carltoon – in my opinion you had nothing to apologise for – you gave your honest and frank assessment of her. I thought she was alright in I’m a Celebrity but went right off her after those pictures with MA.
Ron Knee
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:10 PM
Comment #11“If he picks up a standard kind of points haul…”
Big “if”, Munster.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:10 PM
Comment #12Assassins Inc,
He’ll release money in January if we’re in the clarts like he did with Pardew, McLaren and Rafa, if Bruce has twenty five points points on the board come January 24th there won’t be anyone coming in at all.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:12 PM
Comment #13Ron Knee,
If he picks up a standard kind of points haul we will be locked in to this seemingly never ending nightmare for a long time yet.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:13 PM
Comment #14Saying that about transfers mind, there’s going to be a hell of a lot of ST renewals to be persuaded by February.
Ron Knee
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:20 PM
Comment #15I don’t see a way out, Jail – unless he sells up.
Just a fan
Oct 10, 2019 at 3:26 PM
Comment #16Jail.once a day.im passing my quota.
Regarding schar
No but I have rightly or wrongly an opinion.
I trust you know what an opinion is after all you have lots of them.
Especially regarding Mr Ashley.