Steve Bruce issues blunt transfer message at Newcastle United as Premier League clubs 'haemorrhage money' due to Covid-19

There have been snow flurries on Tyneside, but Steve Bruce isn’t expecting a flurry of transfers over the coming weeks.
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Bruce, citing the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, has previously said that the club is looking to the loan market in this month’s transfer window.

And United's head coach believes that most Premier League clubs will not be spending on permanent deals in the window.

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"Look, I've spoken to many head coaches and managers,” said Bruce. “I can't see there being much of a transfer window. I would think maybe one or two loans.

"Already, in the first week, we haven't seen anything, have we? Man United have bought a young one (Amad Diallo).

"We're haemorrhaging money at the moment, so we've just got to batten down the hatches, and if anything can help us, then we'll try, but I wouldn't expect a big flurry that's for sure."

Bruce, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup tie against Arsenal, is also looking to move a number of players out of the club, notably Christian Atsu, Henri Saivet and Achraf Lazaar, who are all in the final year of their contracts and not in his plans at Newcastle.

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There has been a question mark over the future of DeAndre Yedlin, also out of contract in the summer, since the summer. However, the defender has started the club’s last five games.

Steve Bruce.Steve Bruce.
Steve Bruce.

"Well, he's come into the team, which we're all going to have to do is be patient with the whole thing,” said Bruce, who this week sold Rolando Aarons to Huddersfield Town. “Financially, we'll have to look and see where we are. Look, it's affected the whole world, not just our football club.

"We've got to be a bit patient. There's two, or three, or four, or five, coming out of contract.

"There's one, two, three, who need to go and get their careers kickstarted again. It's been very, very difficult because people like Saivet, and Lazaar, and Aarons, have been available (for transfer), certainly since I've walked through the door here.

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"Yes we need to let a few go and there'll be discussions, but I don't think there's any big rush to do anything just yet because, with football the way it is, it's been financially hit like everybody else has.

"I can't see, of the people I've spoke to in the football world, I can't see there being much going on in January, that's for sure. Because I don't think anybody's really got any money the way it's hit the football club, too."

Bruce will have to sell, or cut a player from his 25-man Premier League squad, to accommodate a loan signing.

"If I need to bring anybody in, then I've got to let people out – it's as simple as that,” said Bruce. “

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"It's not easy in the climate it is today, but that's what if we're looking to try and do something, that's what we'll have to do."

Bruce added: “We’ve got one or two things which might materialise. I can’t see much being done. We’ll still keep working away.”

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