Steve Bruce believes it makes more sense for Newcastle United to spend big on a younger footballer than an older one - and has made it clear to record signing Joelinton that he needs to score more goals.
Aside from Andy Carroll, who returned to St James' Park on a free transfer on deadline day, all of the Magpies signings this year - Miguel Almiron, Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin, Jetro Willems and Emil Krafth - were aged 25 and under when they joined the club.
Despite scoring 12 goals last season, Newcastle decided against making Salomon Rondon's loan move permanent this summer while Mohamed Diame left the club at the end of his contract after turning down the offer of a one-year deal.
Rondon and Diame are 30 and 32 respectively but Bruce would have attempted to keep the latter at the very least after previously managing the midfielder at Hull City.
Now working alongside Steve Nickson, Newcastle's head of recruitment, Bruce believes the club's current transfer policy is the way forward.
“I agree with the policy. I agree with it because it’s everybody’s policy. There’s not many that want to spend big, big money on a 29-year-old," he told reporters ahead of Sunday's game against Leicester City.
"Tottenham is the same, Man U is the same. We’re not alone in this. If you’re going to spend big, big money then it makes sense to spend it on a younger one than someone who is 29 or 30.
"All the Premier League teams really are looking at that. If there is one out there who is a Bosman, an Andy Carroll, or Fede [Federico Fernandez], we’ve bought experienced ones, too.
"If you’re going to really, really spend, big money, you’re going to spend it on a young one. I agree with that.”
With Rondon and Ayoze Perez, last season's top scorers, having left the club, Newcastle have struggled for goals this season and have scored just four goals in all competitions.
Joelinton got off the mark at Spurs last month and Bruce feels the build-up to that goal - 17 passes in 46 seconds - proves Newcastle's 'big, physical animal' will get benefit from better service.
"I think when he played for Hoffenheim, he played towards the left a lot. I saw him play against Manchester City and he played to the left, which a lot of the teams do," he added.
“They're not actual wide players or wingers as such - they play on the left-hand side - and I think he got used to that role.
“Certainly he's aware – and we've made it clear to him – that we have to score more so all the spotlight, of course, is on him and Almiron. But, as a team, we have to create more and that's got to be the aim going forward."
