Transfer boost for Bruce if Mauriss wins takeover race

Henry Mauriss is planning to give Steve Bruce a chance to prove he should remain as manager, should his group complete a takeover before the start of next season. As revealed by The Daily Telegraph in early June, a detailed project plan has been drawn up by the team working for Mauriss, which includes the injection of extra funds to improve the first-team squad.

Newcastle will have around £30million to spend this summer, plus whatever is raised through player sales, as the transfer kitty – which should have been roughly £65million – has been slashed because of losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bruce has admitted his squad need strengthening. “We need four or five players to add to the squad of players we’ve got,” he said, clarifying that a striker was among his targets to assist Joelinton. “He’s better playing to a side, that suits him, so it’s quite possible that a centre-forward could be on the list.”

The Premier League continues to stall over whether a Saudi-led consortium is to be given the green light to take ownership of Newcastle. That decision has been pending for months, which has opened a window of opportunity for Mauriss, who is leading the rival bid by Clear TV as the company’s chief executive.

Contracts signed by the Saudi group no longer give them exclusivity and current owner Mike Ashley is free to negotiate with other interested parties.

Those behind the Saudi bid remain confident they will complete a takeover. However, lawyers for BEIN Sports, commercial partners of the Premier League, believe the Saudi state’s link to piracy, and the decision to block the Qatar-based firm broadcasting in Saudi Arabia last week, make it unlikely the deal will go through.

It is not possible to legally watch Premier League matches in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.