Newcastle United midfielder Jack Colback 'shocked' by Steve Bruce squad omission

NANJING, CHINA - JULY 17: Jack Colback (R) of Newcastle United in action with Jonny Otto of Wolverhampton Wanderers during the Premier League Asia Trophy 2019 match between Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Olympic Sports Center Stadium on July 17, 2019 in Nanjing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images for Premier League)

The Gazette has learned the player was fully expecting to get a chance to play for the Magpies this season, having been given assurances he was part of head coach Bruce's plans beyond the summer.

Colback now faces an uncertain future with the transfer window in the top two divisions in England closed - and only moves to Scotland or League One or lower available. A move to the continent remains an option for the midfielder.

The club decided against naming Colback inside their 25-man squad, with Rolando Aarons, Jamie Sterry, Achraf Lazaar and Henri Saivet also left out.

Colback, said to be deeply disappointed at seeing his United dream shattered again, has just one year left on his Newcastle contract, signed following his departure from bitter rivals Sunderland on a free transfer.

Similarly, two summers ago Colback was frozen out by then manager Rafa Benitez.

The 29-year-old was given a clean slate by Bruce - a manager who tried to sign him in the summer of 2016, and handed him his professional debut while at Sunderland.

Explaining his decision, Bruce said: "It’s the horrible part of the job that I have to tell them that they haven’t even got a squad number.

“I don’t get that, that you have to have a (25-man) squad when it causes all these problems, but there you go.”

When asked about Colback, he said: "Unfortunately, he’s one of those who hasn’t got a squad number."