STEVE BRUCE is intent on improving Newcastle United’s fortunes on the attacking front after initial knock-backs on two Italy-based strikers that has left him weighing up fresh targets.

Bruce is looking to work on boosting his goal-shy side which struggled to see off Rochdale in the FA Cup on Saturday, when the biggest positive he could take from a weekend’s football was earning a replay against lower league opposition.

Clearly the Magpies boss would rather have seen his team cruise through to the fourth round by overcoming Rochdale, but in the end the League One side could have knocked them out courtesy of a woeful second half display from the Premier League outfit.

The 1-1 draw at Spotland ensured Newcastle have, for now, avoided a seventh third round exit since Mike Ashley took control of the club 13 years ago, but the challenge will still be on to progress when they meet again at St James’ Park a week on Tuesday.

By then Newcastle will have travelled to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League where they will hope to have ended a run of three straight defeats, and seen a lengthy injury-list significantly reduced to help the cause.

Matt Ritchie made his return to action for the first time since August as a second half substitute against Rochdale, but Miguel Almiron and Yoshinori Muto both had to be replaced with respective groin and hip problems.

Dwight Gayle had already had to pull out because of a soreness around his glute, and he was one of 11 first team squad members that had to miss out at Rochdale because of injury.

No wonder then Bruce has already been doing what he can on the transfer front to boost his options, although he knows he has to move players on first because he has a 25-man squad already filled for the top-flight.

AC Milan’s out-of-favour £30m man Krzysztof Piatek and Roma forward Nikola Kalinic have both had contact from Newcastle, but neither deal looks on the cards at this stage so Bruce is having to consider alternatives.

“We’ve had a couple of knock-backs already,” said Bruce. “We’ll keep working away. It’s very, very difficult. I won’t just bring in players for the sake of it. We’ll see what the next two or three weeks bring.”