Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has taken aim at the agent of winger Miguel Almiron for his recent comments about the Paraguay international's future at the club.
Daniel Campos suggested that Almiron would have left Newcastle during the summer had it not been for the COVID-19 outbreak, with both Inter and Atletico Madrid both registering their interest in the 26-year-old.
The agent also took aim at Newcastle's poor standing in the Premier League, and Bruce was clearly unimpressed to be hearing such comments come from anyone other than the player himself.
"I couldn't miss the quotes because they were so outrageous it was bordering on the ridiculous," Bruce admitted, in quotes relayed by BBC Sport. "If it was Miguel, who I've had the pleasure to work with for the last 15 months, knocking on my door and having a problem, I'd listen.
"An agent who, two years in, is probably trying to profit again and take him somewhere else, is just hugely disrespectful to all of us basically, and to the club in particular who have served Miguel so well.
"I will have a conversation with him of course, but Miguel is an unbelievable pro and has a great attitude to everything.
"But the agent proves to me he is an amateur looking to make a fast buck again, which is pretty ridiculous."
Despite Bruce's defiant stance, sources have confirmed to 90min that Newcastle are aware of Almiron's interest in a move away from St James' Park, and they would be prepared to listen to acceptable offers.
The Magpies have been underwhelmed by the return of their £21m club-record signing, who moved over from North America in January 2019. Almiron has managed just nine goals and five assists in 62 appearances for Newcastle, though much of his underperformance - statistically, anyway - has attributed to the team's style of play and the role he's been asked to perform.
Newcastle are reluctant to accept a significant loss on Almiron and slapped a £20m price tag on his head during the summer; a figure that appeared to ward off his potential suitors.
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Source: 90min
