Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce is set to cut the club’s wage budget by around £125,000-a-week by securing the exits of those out of the first-team reckoning, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper claim on their website that the likes of Achraf Lazaar, Rolando Aarons and Jack Colback, who were all left out of the Magpies’ 25-man Premier League squad, are being pushed towards the exit door at St James’ Park.
The report states that there will be further exits before the month is over, with European and lower league sides able to acquire players until the start of September, and that such deals could make a significant impact on the club’s finances.
Opinion
While an extra £125,000-a-week could go a long way to helping strengthen the Magpies with a new player or two, the Toon Army will sceptical about how much of an impact it might have when the January transfer window opens. Questions have been asked about the club’s lack of spending, despite picking up big-money transfer fees in the past, and you have to imagine the same queries would rear their heads again over wages. Bruce is absolutely right to try and get those not being used out the door sooner rather than later, for not only are they a drain on the club’s financial resources but they could bring a negative attitude to the training ground. Every footballer wants to play, especially those as experienced as Colback, Lazaar and Aarons, and so any chance they get to move on should be snapped up straight away. Will Bruce see the money saved? That remains to be seen – and it could be another source of ire for the Newcastle faithful in the not-too-distant future.
