NEWCASTLE UNITED are confident they will still pull off a deal for Brazilian striker Joelinton despite a disagreement over the length of a contract.

New head coach Steve Bruce, who took charge of his first training session with his new players after landing in Shanghai, has left the discussions with the Hoffenheim front-man down to managing director Lee Charnley.

Bruce and Charnley have agreed on the fact that attacking reinforcements are required and the new boss still wants to bring in an extra forward even when the Joelinton deal is over the line.

 

Newcastle are closing in on a £36m club record deal for the South American after Hoffenheim left him out of the friendly with Jahn Regensburg on Wednesday.

It is being suggested that such a significant price-tag by Newcastle’s standards could even rise by a further £12m depending on add-ons, although the Premier League club have not commented on any fee so far.

Hoffenheim chiefs are indicating to sources close to the German outfit that Joelinton will be joining Newcastle imminently, even if there has been a disagreement over contract terms this week.

The forward hit seven goals and had five assists to his name last season and Newcastle have tracked him for months, with a broad agreement between the two clubs believed to have been in place since February.

The appointment of Bruce, replacing Rafa Benitez, has clearly slowed things up but now both clubs are still hoping to get the deal over the line before the weekend.

The sticking point has centred on whether Joelinton will get the three-year deal he wants at St James’ Park. Newcastle are hoping he will commit to a fourth year given the amount of money they will be spending on him.

During Mike Ashley’s 13 years at the club have tended to hand out longer term contracts, especially when they pay decent money out.

And Joelinton’s youthful age means he is perfect to see his potential resale value increase if he can really attack the Premier League.

Newcastle have made a history of making sizeable profits on players, with Georginio Wijnaldum, Moussa Sissoko, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez among those to have been sold for huge profits.

Bruce does not want his squad to be left short either and he is under the impression that there will be around £90m to spend this summer following the sale of Perez to Leicester City and the £50m already put to one side for investment in the squad.

The 58-year-old was all smiles after landing in China and meeting his new playing staff for the first time. He oversaw his first training session as head coach in Shanghai and is expected to face the media before the Asia Trophy game with West Ham on Saturday.

He was only appointed as Benitez’s successor on Wednesday, and a post on the club’s official Twitter account read: “Steve Bruce is taking his first training session as Newcastle United’s head coach, having touched down in Shanghai just over an hour earlier.”

Newcastle and Bruce will be looking for improvements when they face West Ham having lost their first game against Wolves 4-0 in dreadful fashion.

Time is already in short supply with the opening fixture of the Premier League season against Arsenal in a little over three weeks, so Bruce has work to do to improve morale and get them playing how he wants.