Newcastle United transfer rumours: Magpies open Chelsea talks, Toon plot to hijack midfielder deal

The Magpies are looking a little threadbare in certain areas at the moment, a fact that Bruce has acknowledged, while also hinting at the restrictive constraints he could be facing this window.

He said: “It's not easy, it's what I've got to do."

Asked if he had been told he couldn’t sign anyone, the boss said: "No, no, no. We carry on as best we can."

Joe Willock – who had a successful half-season loan at Newcastle from Arsenal – is the club’s primary summer transfer target, and there have been discussions between the two clubs over another loan.

United had been hoping to get a deal done for the 21-year-old midfielder before Mikel Arteta’s squad leave the country this week for a pre-season tournament in the USA, but Bruce has suggested that Arsenal are yet to make a decision on his future.

"Nothing's really changed on that,” said Bruce. “I knew from the end of last season that Arsenal would gather him in, see what they get in themselves, judge him on pre-season, whatever.

"It's Arsenal's call, really. We've got to be patient, I understand, but, obviously, there comes a time when we've got to make a decision for us. We're very, very short in the middle of the park at the minute. Very, very short. It's something we need to address."

We’ve gathered the best of today’s Premier League transfer speculation below...