MX23RW : Sunday, January 19 06:15:18| >> :120:23189:23189:

Newcastle United still in talks with Steve Bruce as squad flies to China

Newcastle still in talks with Steve Bruce as squad flies to China
© Reuters
The 58-year-old was at the Sheffield Wednesday's training ground on Friday.

Newcastle are set to fly to China on Saturday without a manager as they attempt to reach agreement with Sheffield Wednesday for a compensation package for Steve Bruce.

The squad is due to head out to the Far East for the Premier League Asia Trophy at the weekend and hoped to have Rafael Benitez's replacement in post before doing so.

However, PA understands they are yet to strike a deal with the Owls for their 58-year-old boss and his staff, Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence.

Sources on Tyneside had indicated the Magpies were confident of getting their man, who signed a one-year rolling contract when he joined Wednesday in February, for around £1million, but the South Yorkshire club is understood to be holding out for significantly more.

Even an 11th-hour breakthrough would be unlikely to come soon enough for the club to process the necessary travel documents, and that means academy coaches Ben Dawson and Neil Redfearn are likely to accompany the players when they fly out.

There is a possibility that a new manager could join up with the squad later, but Newcastle's opening fixture against Wolves in Nanjing is scheduled for next Wednesday with the second game of the trip against either Manchester City or West Ham taking place in Shanghai three days later.

The Magpies have been without a manager since Benitez's contract expired on June 30 and the news that Bruce, who was at the Owls' Middlewood Road training headquarters on Friday as talks continued, is in pole position has not gone down particularly well with fans who were desperate for the Spaniard to stay.

However, the delay in appointing a successor has further hindered the process of rebuilding a depleted squad with the summer transfer window due to close on August 8.

ID:364782: cacheID:364782:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2661:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Sheffield Wednesday manager Steve Bruce watches on during his side's Championship clash with Swansea City on February 23, 2019
Read Next:
Newcastle closing in on Steve Bruce appointment
>
Read more about Steve Bruce Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1am
Washington
@
Lions
8pm
Rams
@
Eagles
11.30pm
Ravens
@
Bills
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool21155150203050
2Arsenal22128243212244
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest21125430201041
4Newcastle UnitedNewcastle22115638261238
5Chelsea21107441261537
6Bournemouth22107536261037
7Aston Villa2210663334-136
8Manchester CityMan City2110563829935
9Fulham228953430433
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2171043229331
11Brentford2284104039128
12Crystal Palace226972528-327
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd217592629-326
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2275102743-1626
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs21731143321124
16Everton203891526-1117
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2144133148-1716
18Ipswich TownIpswich2137112037-1716
19Leicester CityLeicester2235142348-2514
20Southampton2113171347-346


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!