Bruce wastes no time with Newcastle

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has wasted little time in starting his new job after taking his first training session a little more than an hour after arriving in China.

The 58-year-old, who was appointed as Rafael Benitez’s replacement on Wednesday morning, was on the training pitch with his players in Shanghai just 24 hours later.

A post on the club’s official Twitter account said: “Steve Bruce is taking his first training session as Newcastle United’s head coach, having touched down in Shanghai just over an hour earlier.”

Newcastle face West Ham in the Premier League Asia Trophy on Saturday having lost their first game against Wolves 4-0 in humbling fashion.

Bruce has little time in which to make his mark on the team with the opening fixture of the Premier League season against Arsenal a little more than three weeks away.

In addition, he faces a race against time to rebuild the squad with talks understood to be ongoing with Hoffenheim striker Joelinton, whose £36million price-tag would make him the club’s record signing.