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Club owner Mike Ashley appointed Bruce as Newcastle’s new manager earlier this week. Ashley parted ways with previous boss Rafa Benitez after the Spaniard failed to receive assurances about

transfer dealings. But Bruce, who is out on pre-season tour with his new players in china, had a meeting with Ashley, in which those issues were discussed. “There have been a couple of

things said - and the big one is whether I am going to sit here and be a puppet,” he said. “That won't happen – I am in charge of transfers. To say I won't be in charge of

recruitment has insulted me. “Let me tell you, if I thought I couldn't have control of transfers, then I wouldn't be doing the job. “We've talked about budgets and it was

pretty straight forward. “I think Mike has always been pretty straight about that - whatever the club brings in and whatever we generate by getting players out, we've got to spend. “Our

transfer policy is like most other clubs. Identifying the players and making sure we fit in.” Bruce also made it clear that he was under no impression that taking the job at St James’ Park

would be an easy task. “I am under no illusions about this job. I have come into it with my eyes wide open,” he added. “I'm under no illusions. We need to bring a few players in to

improve and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see where we are light. “We are going to spend the next three weeks working on it. “I went to see him (Ashley) and everybody was really

honest about where we are at and what we want to do. “I know what he expects. It was very straight forward and obviously a very good meeting because he gave me the job.” Newcastle finished

13th last season under Benitez, following their 10th place finish in 2017/18. But the former Liverpool manager, who was expected to sign a new contract, decided to leave Tyneside and has

since accepted a new job with Dalian Yifang in China, bringing ex-Newcastle loanee Salomon Rondon with him.