Contract signed: Newcastle finalise new arrival after payment agreed – Sources
Graeme Jones has signed a contract to join the Newcastle United coaching team, Football Insider can reveal.
Football Insider broke the news last Friday morning that the north-east giants were closing in on a landmark hire to aid under-fire manager Steve Bruce.
Newcastle sources have told Football Insider that Jones has now put pen to paper on a 12-month rolling contract with the club.
The north-east giants have also agreed to make a compensation payment to Bournemouth for the time remaining on the coach’s contract.
He is set to arrive at Newcastle at a time of crisis.
The pressure on manager Bruce has reached a new level following Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat to Leeds United.
It was Newcastle’s fifth defeat in a row in the Premier League and means them have now picked up just two points from the past 27 available to them.
They are 16th in the division and still seven points above the drop zone but Bruce is on the worst run without a win in all competitions in his 20-year managerial career.
Jones, 50, will be expected to bring greater organisation and work ethic to a side in desperate need of a quick-fix.
Roberto Martinez’s former assistant at Everton, Belgium and Wigan Athletic is highly regarded as a coach and has a reputation for improving and challenging players on the training ground.
Bruce has been forced to constantly defend his position and track record in the face of mounting criticism from supporters.
Newcastle fans were left hugely frustrated following the failed takeover bid last summer, where supporters hoped that a Saudi Arabian-backed consortium would take control from Ashley.
In other news, football finance guru Kieran Maguire has shared brilliant new Mike Ashley- Newcastle United insight.