STEVE BRUCE has revealed that Newcastle United came close to pulling off a deal somewhere near the club’s £40m transfer record last week.

The Magpies boss, who also described how he is unlikely to further add to his squad before tonight’s 11pm deadline, insists an offer had been accepted for a new midfielder last weekend.

A deal failed to materialise and Newcastle, just like a bid for Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud was unsuccessful.

Bruce was keen to stay tight-lipped over the identity of the player, although there are suggestions it was Lille’s midfielder Boubakary Soumare and the offer was £35m.

“I told you two or three weeks ago (about Giroud). I hope not to talk about other players, we did enquire about him and it wasn’t possible,” said Bruce.

“We had a bid accepted (for another) which would have almost got to our record transfer eight days ago accepted by the club, unfortunately the player wanted to stay where he was.

“We were quite active but we have had to wait and see where it takes us. We got past the club, we had it accepted but the player wanted to stay where he was.”

Bruce was allowed to make the move, and has since landed Danny Rose from Tottenham, even though the club is the subject of a Saudi takeover attempt led by Amanda Staveley.

But the Newcastle boss, speaking at the press conference before tomorrow’s visit of Norwich, understands that Mike Ashley is not close to selling up at this stage.

“I don't get involved with all that,” said Bruce. “It's for other people to worry about and for you to write and talk about. It has an unsettling effect on everybody, of course, I wouldn't lie, but we're somehow getting used to it.

“All I'm concentrating on is tomorrow, the game tomorrow and certainly the players are as well as myself.

“I think he'll (managing director Lee Charnley) tell me. If there was something to talk about and something to tell me, he'll tell me. I have a relationship with him that I think he would.

“At the moment all he's said, there's nothing in it. Okay fine, let's go to work and let's see where we are.”

Newcastle head into tomorrow’s game with Norwich without Jonjo Shelvey, who is sidelined for a few weeks. New signings Danny Rose, Valentino Lazaro and Nabil Bentaleb are all in the squad and should figure.

Bruce is delighted to have secured the services of Rose yesterday on loan from Tottenham.

“If he is playing for England in a World Cup qualifier in September, the European Cup final a few months before that, so … he is a top player the kid, as arguably as good a left-back in England that is why he plays for national team,” said Bruce.

“We are delighted to get some one of that quality, moving north suited him which makes a rare change. He is a northern lad, from Leeds, a little thing like that is an advantage.

"I reminded him of the crowd against Oxford, he knows he is working into a big club with a huge fanbase and somewhere he can hopefully enjoy it for a few months see where that takes us in summer. He was keen, whatever has happened at Tottenham has happened, he ended a fresh challenge.”