Ki Sung-yueng in honourable goodbye as Newcastle deal is terminated

South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng has left Newcastle after his contract was torn up by mutual consent, the Magpies have confirmed.

The 31-year-old’s deal was due to expire at the end of the season, but he is now a free agent after making a total of 23 appearances for the club he joined from Swansea in July 2018, but only four of them this season.

Ki said: “I am always grateful for our fans’ support. It was great honour and happiness of mine to play for such a great club as Newcastle United.

“I will never forget the time with Newcastle fans. It is a pity that I could not do better, but sometimes in football, there are things I could not overcome.

“Thanks a lot to everybody and so long.”

Having added Tottenham full-back Danny Rose to the earlier loan acquisitions of Nabil Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro – all three are expected to be in the squad for Saturday’s Premier League clash with lowly Norwich – manager Steve Bruce was satisfied with his lot.

Asked about Rose, who joined until the end of the season on Thursday, Bruce said: “He was playing for England in a World Cup qualifier in September and playing in the European Cup final a few months before that, so we’re delighted to get him.

“He’s a top player, the kid, and is arguably as good a left-back as there is in England.”

 

Rose arrived on Tyneside with speculation over a Saudi takeover, which broke last weekend, rumbling on.

However, Bruce insisted he had been told nothing is imminent on that front.

Asked what managing director Lee Charnley, his conduit to owner Mike Ashley, had said to him this week, he replied: “If there was something to talk about and something to tell me, he’ll tell me. I have a relationship with him that I think he would.

“At the moment all he’s said, there’s nothing in it. Okay, fine, let’s go to work and let’s see where we are.”