Keith Downie has confirmed that Steve Bruce would love to add Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka to his Newcastle United squad.
The Sky Sports journalist has revealed that the Magpies’ boss is fully aware of the interest that the Swiss international is attracting amid his recent fall out at the Gunners.
Downie reported on his personal Twitter account on Friday that Bruce could add Xhaka to a squad that he believes is improving every week in the Premier League.
Bruce is aware Xhaka has lots of interest elsewhere, but he’s the sort of player he’d love to add to his improving Newcastle squad.
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) November 15, 2019
The Times first reported that Newcastle were interested in handing the 27-year-old a way out from the Emirates Stadium in January in a potential loan-to-buy offer.
OPINION
It is hard to see what Xhaka would add to Newcastle’s squad at this moment in time. The Swiss international has more than proved in recent weeks that he is not reliable in the heart of midfield, and the Magpies need players that are up for the fight and can be counted throughout games. The 27-year-old hasn’t set the world alight at the Emirates this season and would demand huge wages – money that could be better spent elsewhere. With the Longstaff brothers and Jonjo Shelvey stepping up in the Premier League alongside Isaac Hayden, Bruce should definitely consider bringing in a younger option who will not demand guaranteed minutes but will learn on the job and continue to get better in the second half of the season. Xhaka would come in and surely demand he is one of the first players on the teamsheet without exactly showing he deserves it, and that is something Bruce must avoid if he is to keep the clear harmony that has been on show in their recent wins before the international break.