Nabil Bentaleb deadline claim over Newcastle United deal as Steve Bruce pushes for Matty Longstaff decision

Bentaleb, signed on loan from Schalke 04 in January, has been a regular starter for Steve Bruce since the Premier League restarted last month.

And Bild report that the club must make a decision on a permanent £9million move for the 25-year-old midfielder by Monday.

Bentaleb – who hadn’t played a competitive game for nine months before his move to St James’s Park after a fall-out at Schalke – is understood to be on around £80,000 a week at the Bundesliga club.

The situation is complicated by the proposed Newcastle takeover, and the club is unlikely to make any big financial commitments while the Premier League is still considering the £300million deal.

Speaking last week, Bruce said: "We have to have negotiations with their clubs to see where they are at, what they want. I don't think we’ll have everything sorted by next week. I have an idea in my own mind – it doesn't always turn out how you want. There are some big meetings over the next week – and into the summer.”

Meanwhile, Bruce wants a decision from 20-year-old midfielder Longstaff, who has been offered a new long-term deal at the club with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign.

“We’ve done everything we can to keep him here – it’s up to him now,” said United’s head coach.

Longstaff – who is wanted by Udinese – hasn’t started a Premier League game since Bentaleb joined the club.