Bruce ‘pushing’ for Newcastle to sign Leicester midfielder on loan

Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce is “pushing” for the club to sign Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury on loan, according to reports.

The 23-year-old played his first minutes in senior football in League One with Burton Albion in 2015/16. He featured 13 times for them that term and he rejoined them on loan the season after in the Championship.

The midfielder broke into Leicester City’s first team during the 2017/18 campaign. He played nine times for them that term.

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But Choudhury has been unable to establish himself as a mainstay for the Foxes since then. He has been a bit-part player as he has featured 72 times overall across all competitions.

The Daily Mail have reported that Bruce is “pushing” for Newcastle to sign Choudhury on loan before the transfer window closes.

The report adds that the midfielder would be open to the move but the club hierarchy wants Bruce to trim the squad before Choudhury is brought in.

Sean Longstaff, Jeff Hendrick, Fabian Schar and Ciaran Clark are the players they are willing to listen to offers for according to the report.

Last week, the Magpies completed the permanent signing of Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock for a fee in the region of £25m. 

The Englishman spent the second half of last term on loan at St James’ Park. He enjoyed a brilliant spell there as he finished the season by scoring in seven straight Premier League games.

Rio Ferdinand has questioned Arsenal’s decision to let their academy product leave this summer:

“I don’t know how Arsenal have let Joe Willock go. The guy scores goals from midfield man. I really like him.

“I don’t understand that. Newcastle have done unbelievable well to get him by the way, I think he’s a really good talent.

“He scores goals, he expects to score, he’s a good mover, makes good runs.

“With Arsenal, I know they’re building and Arteta is trying to build something and he’s setting the foundations there, but they’re in no man’s land.

“They’re not a threat to anybody. You don’t consider them a real threat at all and it’s not just the Arsenal that I played against with Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Martin Keown, Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole.

“It’s just a very different time now for Arsenal. It’s sad to see because I really like Arsenal.”