---
title: "Newcastle United: Steve Bruce issues challenge to Newcastle quartet over prospect of being offered new deals"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/steve-bruce-message-newcastle-players-new-deals/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Jordan Rushworth"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2020-10-17T16:10:23Z"
modified: "2020-10-17T16:10:23Z"
---

# Newcastle United: Steve Bruce issues challenge to Newcastle quartet over prospect of being offered new deals

**Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has [thrown down the gauntlet](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/revealed-pif-plan-could-impact-19112891) to members of the Magpies’ squad, including [Andy Carroll](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-transfer-rumours/andy-carroll-likes-trazbonspor-social-media-post/), who are set to see their contracts run out at the end of the season.**

The Magpies have been busy trying to ensure the long-term futures of some of their most influential performers. Allan Saint-Maximin has joined the likes of Karl Darlow and Isaac Hayden in [penning new contracts](https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/allan-saint-maximin-signs-new-deal-to-stay-at-newcastle-united-until-2026/#:~:text=14th%20October%202020-,Allan%20Saint%2DMaximin%20signs%20new%20deal%20to%20stay%20at%20Newcastle,.%20James'%20Park%20until%202026.) recently. However, there are still some players whose futures are uncertain.

### **Bruce lays down challenge to Andy Carroll and others**

Bruce has already [revealed](https://www.nufc.co.uk/nufc-tv/latest-videos/bruce-saint-maximin-is-worth-his-weight-in-gold/) that the Magpies are working on a new deal for Sean Longstaff, to add to Saint-Maximin’s recent six-year deal. It has now emerged that the Newcastle manager has challenged some players with one year left on their deals to earn a new contract with their performances, as per [Chronicle Live](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/revealed-pif-plan-could-impact-19112891).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”306284″\]

The likes of Carroll, Dwight Gayle, Federico Fernandez and Ciaran Clark have all entered the final year of their current deals. Neither [Clark nor Gayle](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/newcastle-united/leistungsdaten/verein/762/plus/0?reldata=GB1%262020) have featured yet for the Magpies in the Premier League this season as the pair have both been [suffered problems with injuries](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-injury-update-manchester-19095602) at the start of the campaign.

Carroll is entering the final year of his £75,000-a-week deal, as per [Spotrac](https://www.spotrac.com/epl/newcastle-united-fc/andy-carroll-23133/), and the forward has featured in [three of Newcastle’s opening four matches](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andy-carroll/leistungsdaten/spieler/48066), showing [glimpses of his ability](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54038554) during the 2-0 opening day win at West Ham, while Bruce is fully aware of the qualities of Gayle, Fernandez and Clark.

### **Some players better placed to meet challenge than others**

Bruce is right to challenge the four players to earn new deals rather than just handing them out. However, for Gayle in particular, it could be difficult to meet that challenge, given he is out injured at the moment and behind the [in-form Callum Wilson](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/callum-wilson/leistungsdaten/spieler/123682) in the pecking order. Carroll, who was once [labelled](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/04/12/2438258/andy-carroll-is-excellent-he-bullies-defenders-alan-shearer) as ‘devastating’ by Alan Shearer, has shown his worth at times, but questions remain over his fitness.

Clark also has questions to answer over his fitness, but he is a dependable defender when fully fit. Meanwhile, Fernandez has shown he has a lot to offer the Magpies, so probably is deserving of that new deal. It will be a very difficult decision to determine who should be given fresh terms.

***Geordies, should Newcastle tie down these four players? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!***