Newcastle United transfer news: Ex-Magpie reacts to £20m twist in Toon pursuit, Pundit urges Bruce to tie star down

The Magpies had the brilliant Allan Saint-Maximin to thank for a match-winning cameo against Burnley last weekend, with the Frenchman coming off the bench to score one goal and assist another in a 2-1 win.

Replicating that result against the Hammers will be no easy task, however, especially given their recent push for a Champions League spot.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of the game, Toon manager Steve Bruce admitted that the Irons’ unlikely rise up the Premier League table is an inspiration to him and his team ahead of next season.

He said: "I think they [West Ham] give all of us in the bottom half of the table, hope that you can do that.

“They have been very shrewd who they’ve brought in last summer.

“They’ve had a wonderful season. It gives everybody that little bit of hope that this is what you can try to go on and achieve. The difficulty for them now, of course, is how they replicate it and stay up there next year.

"He [Moyes] is a top, top manager, but if they can do it, [why can’t we do it too], why not?”

A win for Newcastle today could move them nine points clear of the relegation places.

Here are today's biggest transfer stories and the latest team news involving Newcastle and the rest of the Premier League, as the reaction to last weekend's action continues: