Steve Bruce drops Jack Colback bombshell at injury-hit Newcastle United

The midfielder missed out on a place in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad. Colback is eligible to play in Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Rochdale. However, Bruce – who lost four players to injury during this afternoon’s 3-0 defeat to Leicester City at St James’s Park – can’t call on Colback at Spotland.

"Colback hurt his knee, so won't be available for four months,” said United’s head coach.

Bruce – who also ruled out playing Henri Saivet and Jamie Sterry against Rochdale – said last month that Colback, signed as a free agent in 2014 after his Sunderland contract expired, needed to leave the club in this months transfer window – and “reboot his career”.

“Jack, being Jack, is a good pro, has trained every day hoping that he can reboot his career,” said Bruce. “He needs to move on.”