Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce admits that he is "in the dark" about a proposed Saudi-backed takeover of the Premier League club but would hope to stay on under any new owners.
Former Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, who took Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, and ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino are seen as contenders for the job if a deal goes through.
A group with an expected 80 per cent investment from Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF have made a reported £300 million (Dh1.36 billion) bid to buy United from British businessman Mike Ashley.
"I have a wonderful working relationship with [Newcastle managing director] Lee Charnley and he told me, 'when there's something to tell you, Steve, I'll tell you'," Bruce told Sky Sports television on Thursday.
"We've left it at that and gone back to work. I'm in the dark like most other people, and for that, I'm glad, really, because I can't comment on it."
Bruce, who arrived in July 2019 after Benitez failed to agree a contract extension with Ashley, said he would like to see Newcastle given the resources to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
He would also love to be part of it.
"To be in a position where you're actually challenging, and you have a good enough team as Newcastle did in 1995 and under Sir Bobby Robson as well, then it would be wonderful," said Bruce. "I'd back myself, of course I would.
"Whether you're managing in the lower division or you're right at the top, it's about getting the best out of what you've got. And if you can do that, I'd back myself to have a crack at it. I'd be confident that I'd be able to do it."
In an interview with Tyneside newspaper The Chronicle, Bruce reiterated how little he knew about the deal, but admitted that he was "aware of all people are hovering over my job".
"I haven't got any answers. All I have done is read about it in the Press," he said.
"In the meantime as I have said many times – whatever is best for Newcastle United then that's OK with me. That's all I want.
"If it goes through, let's see what happens after that. I am aware of all the speculation going on and people are hovering over my job, but I get on with it until I know different. That has always been the case with me.
"Of course, there's also been nothing else to write about. What can I do?
"The reason I can't say anything on it is, you [the media] probably know more than me. In that respect – great – because then I can't have any other ideas out there.
"As I say, whatever is best for Newcastle United is the best for me."
Newcastle are currently13th in the league with matches suspended and are due to face Manchester City in the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
Bruce was relieved that 40 Newcastle personnel tested negative for Covid-19 before the return to physically distanced training on Tuesday. On Thursday, they were re-tested in line with the Premier League’s Project Restart protocols.
“We’re all together here – and all 40 of us have tested negative,” said Bruce. “We hope that’s the case today.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
More on Quran memorisation:
More on animal trafficking
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
