How can United bring the fans back?
BENTALEB WANTS ENGLAND RETURN – AND UNITED ARE ON LIST OF TEAMS HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TALKING TO
NEWCASTLE are among a group of Premier League clubs who could be offered the chance to sign Nabil Bentaleb, who is looking for a route back to England to end his Bundesliga nightmare.
Bentaleb released a statement hitting back at Schalke for his indefinite suspension, which he said was without “any credible justification.”
The Bundesliga strugglers have confirmed he will leave in the summer at the latest, when his contract runs out.
It is understood the midfielder is available for a nominal or no fee, with feelers put out about possible interest from the Premier League.
United are likely to be active in January - most likely in the loan market - and it remains to be seen whether they would make a move for Bentaleb.
The Algerian had a low-key spell at Newcastle last year but Bruce was a fan.
However, budget constraints meant United looked elsewhere in the summer and his wage demands were fairly steep.
Newcastle are looking for players who can ‘plug in and play’ in the January window and there is a budget to play with.
That most likley rules them out of a move for Jetro Willems, who is on the comeback trail but will need games to ease himself back into the fray after a long spell out.
■ NEWCASTLE United will continue to regularly test players and staff as they look to contain the Covid outbreak which has disrupted their season.
United’s Friday game against Aston Villa was called off on Tuesday as positive tests among the squad made it unsafe to prepare and play the game.
With the training ground closed until at least today, players who have not tested positive or have recovered are being handed individual training plans to keep them as sharp as possible.
The Premier League are being kept informed of the situation and it is too early to make a call on the West Brom game, scheduled for Saturday at 3.00.
It is, of course, a doubt but the Premier League would prefer games to be played, judging this situation on a case-by-case basis.
It is likely Newcastle will have enough players to fulfil the situation and should, by then, have a handle on the outbreak.
The lack of travel - which was seen as a factor in the game being called off at Villa - points to the game most likely being on even if Steve Bruce’s hand is restricted by players isolating.
■ THE nightmare scenario of Ivan Toney returning to haunt Newcastle and deny them the first Cup semifinal in more than a decade may not materialise in the League Cup in a fortnight’s time.
Ex-United youngster Toney is in red hot form with 13 goals for the Bees this season.
However, Brentford’s busy schedule in the run-up to Christmas means the club is considering how best to manage their squad.
The word is they may yet to decide to rest Toney for the league programme, sparing United a tussle with one of England’s top scorers with a point to prove.