According to Football Insider, Steve Bruce has set his sights on a loan deal for Brighton centre-back Shane Duffy – a transfer rumour I’m struggling with for a host of reasons.
Their latest ‘exclusive’ claims we’re ready to ‘blow Celtic out of the water’ in their attempts to sign the 6ft 4 Irishman, with West Ham also said to be keen.
The report states that Bruce is in the market for a ‘senior centre-back’ and is keen to land the 28-year-old, with his Premier League experience and availability on loan appealing to the Newcastle boss.
Wayne Veysey’s latest transfer piece also says that a ‘Newcastle source’ has told Football Insider that Duffy is a ‘top target’ of Bruce’s and that he’s been given the green light to leave, but this would be a real waste of a Premier League loan for me.
It would not surprise me if one of Fabian Schar or Florian Lejeune were sold this summer, meaning we may be in the market for a centre-back, but when Premier League loans may be our best hope of bringing in a few quality attackers who aren’t currently playing for top six sides, I’m not sure why we’d waste one of only two domestic loans on a defender who wouldn’t improve us.
Hopefully this one’s nothing but a rumour, with us currently having SIX capable options on our books at centre-half in Lascelles, Fernandez, Clark, Lejeune, Schar and Dummett.
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‘senior centre-back’ says it all.
Bruce has figured out Lascelles is just not good enough to go forward with.
About time.
Helen Clarey(Quote)
Think that’s way off again, Helen.
Too many in our fanbase have a pop at Lascelles when we’re actually much worse and far more open without him in the side.
Not the best technically but we haven’t got another CB who’s better in the air, stronger, quicker or more commanding. Trust him far more than Schar, for example!
Olly Hawkins(Quote)