Hamza Choudhury is wanted by Newcastle – and is set to rock Matt Ritchie's Toon career for the second time.
Steve Bruce has admitted the Leicester City and former England U21 midfielder is a target before the transfer window closes.
Ritchie needed stitches in his ankle in three places, had ligament damage and was out for four months after a terrible tackle by Choudhury in a Carabao Cup game in August 2019.
Bruce described the tackle as over the top and a “horror”, saying Ritchie had been left "a mess."
Choudhury hit back pointing out that Bruce loved a challenge himself when he was a player.
But that spat is now forgotten as Newcastle chase Choudhury in a bid to add energy and legs to their central midfield - with Ritchie looking for regular football and set to return to Bournemouth's promotion push.
Bruce confirmed: “Hamza? It is someone we have liked. I will not speak of someone else's players. It is someone we like.”
Asked if Ritchie would leave Bruce commented: “We all understand what Matt's situation is.
"He is a very good player for the club and has been here five years.
“His frustration is he is not playing week in week out.
“It has to be the right offer for anyone in the squad, we have to make way to bring someone in. It would take a hell of an offer.”
Bruce has a new face on his coaching staff, with the addition of Graeme Jones this week.
He explained: “With the problems Steve Clemence had in his personal life and Steve Agnew had COVID for five weeks, we were very short. This wasn't a knee jerk reaction.
“We looked at it two months ago. We were short. I brought in Steve Harper to be a link between the academy and first team. I brought Ben Dawson up form the academy. We were short of people.
“I had a conversation to see if we could get someone fresh. Graeme was our No.1 choice, with what he achieved in his career, and of course he is a Geordie and has been away 35 years.
“The pull of working for the club attracted him. He has come in with fresh ideas to sit alongside the two Steve's who I brought in.”
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