Newcastle need Jarrod Bowen and Steve Bruce must see he is worth the fee

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Newcastle have had a long-standing interest in Hull winger Jarrod Bowen, but the Chronicle revealed on Wednesday manager Steve Bruce did not agree with the huge asking price for him.

It does not bode well for bringing him in during the January transfer window, with Hull able to activate an automatic one-year extension to his current deal which expires next summer, meaning the fee – believed to be around £20 million – is unlikely to reduce.

During the Chronicle’s weekly Q & A, Lee Ryder said: “Hull had an open line of negotiations with Newcastle on Bowen but couldn’t agree the price the Tigers wanted.

“Bruce – who had worked with him at Hull – did not agree with the huge fee.”

It is worrying to hear Bruce does not rate the winger at the prospective fee, as most people who have seen him play over the last couple of seasons would say he is worth every penny of it.

Given that he is an English player, and does not turn 23 until December, there is always going to be an added premium to his valuation.

But if Bruce cannot see the value in such a talented prospect, Newcastle will miss out on signing him, as another club will jump at the chance.

He, and the club hierarchy, must realise that £20m now, will become £30m in a couple of seasons, and isn’t that what Mike Ashley views as the crucial ingredient to any signing?

Newcastle will rue a decision not to sign Bowen

If Bruce does not see value in obvious talent, then it is a big concern going forward for any potential squad overhaul he may want to make in the summer.

We are in desperate need for a right-winger – a position we should have addressed in the summer, but did not – and Bowen is the perfect player to solve the problem.

Even if it takes all of the budget Bruce has available for permanent deals this winter, we cannot afford to miss out on Bowen.

Bruce should sign him, and rely on loan deals to fill any other potential spots he wants to add to in January. Failure to do so, will see the club regret it, and years will be spent watching him play elsewhere, while he will always be seen as the one Newcastle let get away.