Journalist close to Steve Bruce issues sickening transfer update on Monday morning

According to The Telegraph's Luke Edwards, it's now 'unlikely' Newcastle make another signing before the transfer window shuts next week.

Edwards - a self-confessed friend of Steve Bruce's - states that we've spent our entire budget on a £25m move for Joe Willock and know that any arrival will mean a senior player will have to be left out of our 25-man squad.

He does accept that one loan signing is possible if 'something attractive' comes up, however it seems likely that we'll now be left with the same squad that ended the 2020/21 season - despite the fact we've moved on the likes of Andy Carroll, Christian Atsu, Florian Lejeune and Yoshinori Muto.

Here's what the North-East reporter has had to say in a grim Monday morning update for NUFC fans:

It's blindingly obvious that we need another centre-back, with our ageing backline crying out for an injection of pace, athleticism and ball-playing ability.

Then in midfield, we look a soft touch and lacking in that midfield enforcer able to protect an error-prone defence. Isaac Hayden can be that when fit, but he missed large chunks of last season through injury and was forced off with a knock at Villa Park.

Even up top. What happens if Callum Wilson gets injured?! Dwight Gayle is the ONLY senior striker at the club to call on.

As ever in the Mike Ashley era, it looks like he's happy to get by with the bare minimum and risk our Premier League status as a result,