'I'd love to be part of it' – Bruce backs himself as the right man to lead post-takeover Newcastle

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has said that he would love to continue in his role at St James' Park should the club's proposed Saudi Arabian takeover go through, with the 59-year-old of the opinion that he can challenge the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City if given the right players.

A £300 million ($366m) buy-over, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was agreed with current owner Mike Ashley last month but is still awaiting approval from the Premier League.

Should the bid be given the green light following the owners and directors' test, however, Bruce has backed himself to lead the Magpies into the future, with reports having circulated that former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has been earmarked for the job.

“We all aspire in management, we all aspire to be Pep [Guardiola], Jurgen [Klopp]... these great managers who've been a breath of fresh air to football. Jurgen Klopp coming into this country, you just have to applaud him for his tactics and the way Liverpool play," Bruce told Sky Sports.

“If it's good for Newcastle, and the club are going to try to compete with these teams, to be part of it would be great. I would love to see it and I'd love to be part of it. 

“I hope it's where it goes, but in the meantime I'll just crack on, wait, roll my sleeves up and get on with trying to get some results to try and get the club going forward.

“If that happens for Newcastle in the future, then great - I'd be delighted. You do get labelled in the game, and that's why I enjoyed my time managing in the Championship. I'd back myself against most people in that division.

“But to be in a position where you're actually challenging, and you have a good enough team as Newcastle did in 1995 and under Sir Bobby Robson as well, then it would be wonderful. I'd back myself, of course I would.

“Management, whether you're managing in the lower division or you're right at the top, it's about getting the best out of what you've got. And if you can do that, I'd back myself to have a crack at it. I'd be confident that I'd be able to do it.

“Whether that's ever going to be the case, who knows?”

Indeed, Bruce is still in the dark over whether the takeover will actually happen, despite having close contact with the club's managing director.

“I have a wonderful working relationship with Lee Charnley and he told me, 'when there's something to tell you, Steve, I'll tell you'.

“We've left it at that and gone back to work. I'm in the dark like most other people, and for that, I'm glad, really, because I can't comment on it. It's not worth talking about it as I really don't know.”