Victor Osimhen could be a part of the rebuild, implies Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce has had a tough start to life as Newcastle United manager as the club continues to struggle in the Premier League, lying in the relegation zone after winning just 8 points in 9 games. But, Steve Bruce has indicated that plans have already begun to rebuild a part of the squad in January.
Rafael Benitez walked out from Newcastle United once his contract expired last summer and Newcastle appointed Steve Bruce to be Benitez’s successor and help the club achieve a top 10 finish. Sadly, the season has not gone well for the Magpies as they battle relegation and hope to make things better in what is left of their season. The Magpies have spent heavily in the transfer market in summer but as of now all their investments have been in vain.
Players like striker Joelinton, winger Allan Saint-Maximin, Jetro Williams all joined the club but none of them have been able to save Newcastle from embarrassment. Steve Bruce has now told the Chronicle that they are ready for a January rebuild. Newcastle scouts have been alerted about LOSC Lille striker Victor Osimhen who has netted eight goals in 11 appearances for the Ligue 1 side this season after joining the club from Belgian outfit Charleroi for £10.8million.
Club’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson and his team are set to compile a list of other options for Steve Bruce in the next couple of windows. Newcastle owners have made it clear that Bruce will be given adequate funds to spend in the winter transfer window but Bruce has put emphasis on the rebuild lasting for more than two transfer windows and not the January transfer window alone.
“We’ll start planning in the next couple of weeks, but January is always a difficult window. Well see what’s out there,” said Bruce to the Chronicle.
Bruce is keen to add an attacker and a creative midfielder to the squad in January transfer window. However, he as asserted that deadwood clean up will only happen next summer so the club is likely to bring a big group of players in the summer transfer window and not in this one. By next summer the wage bill could be cleared significantly with a host of senior contracts about to expire.
Federico Fernandez, Rob Elliot and Javier Manquillo and Jack Colback will see their current deals expire and will likely leave the club allowing Newcastle to make fresh additions to the team. Victor Osimhen has been in excellent form for Ligue 1 team Lille. The 20-year-old began his career at Wolfsburg but later moved to Charleroi. The Nigerian was on Newcastle’s radar and with each passing solid performance, the Magpies are thinking of taking concrete steps to sign the striker.