There are great expectations surrounding 20-year-old forward Elias Sorensen, but after two underwhelming loan spells he now needs to convert promise into goals.
Sorensen is a Denmark under-21 international who is good in the air, has quick feet and knows where the goal is.
He has scored freely for the under-23s and there was a clamour for him to play in the first team when he hit 20 goals in his first full season with the underage side. But Rafa Benitez, who was manager then, resisted the calls and instead sent him out on loan.
He didn't make an impact and returned to Newcastle facing a big decision on his future this summer.
Sorensen went to Carlisle at the start of the season but didn't start a single game for the League Two strugglers and is now back at St James' Park.
Asked about another potential loan move, Bruce said: "I’m not against him being back here and around the Academy but then again if someone comes in then I do believe that when you get to a certain age the loan thing is not a bad option.
“We’ll see.”
If he plays at Rochdale, he won't be able to be loaned again as he'll have represented two clubs.
On a long-term deal at Newcastle, he has spoken of his desire to succeed at St James' Park.
He wouldn't be the first great Dane to succeed at Newcastle with Peter Lovenkrands' name still chanted by fans seven years after he left the club.
Sorensen said spoke of the player he looked up to as a youngster - and who he'd like to emulate, he added: "Jon Dahl Tomasson is one I know about from Denmark because of the Newcastle link but it's one I have had to look at the clips online as it was before my time really.
"The player that I really looked up to when I was a kid was Fernando Torres at Liverpool. I thought he was unbelievable.
