Won't be a puppet, will take charge of transfers: Newcastle United manager Bruce

Newcastle United's newly appointed manager Steve Bruce has said that he is not going to be a puppet and will take charge of the upcoming transfers in the club.

"There have been a couple of things written. Am I going to sit here and be a puppet? That won't happen. I am in charge of transfers," Goal.com quoted Bruce, as saying.

The club's last season's top scorer Ayoze Perez signed for Leicester City while Salomon Rondon has joined Dalian Yifang.

With players leaving Newcastle United, the club really needs to make new signings.

Bruce said that he will have control of whom they will bring in.

"It's like most football clubs - I will have the final say on transfers. I have read all kinds of nonsense that I won't, but I will work hard to make sure I work with the chief scout. The policy is like most other clubs - identifying the players and making sure we fit in. I will have control of who we bring in," he said.

Former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez left the club. Bruce has admitted that he has big shoes to fill.

"I know in some people's eyes I'm not Rafa. I understand there are big shoes to fill, but I'll give it everything I possibly can. I knew it was going to be difficult," he said.

"The easy thing would have been to say no. I just hope that people will show respect, which obviously you only gain by getting a few results and doing the job, but hopefully that will go hand in hand," Bruce said.