Newcastle United Make Last Minute Bid for Bryan Ruiz on Transfer Deadline Day

Sky Sports are reporting that Newcastle United have matched Fulham's £10.6 million bid for Bryan Ruiz of FC Twente.

Ruiz looked certain to join Fulham but will now have to decide whether to join Martin Jol's side or make a late dash to the North East to sign for Newcastle United.

Hopefully, Derek Llambias and Alan Pardew can convince Ruiz to choose Newcastle United. Mike Ashley's helicopter can then be put to a more positive use than it was on January's transfer deadline day.

Ruiz is a 26-year-old Costa Rican international. He has made 61 appearances and scored 36 goals for FC Twente since joining them from Gent in 2009.

This move may be a desperate last throw of the dice, after Alan Pardew promised another striker and asked fans to judge Newcastle's transfer activity on September 1st.

If Newcastle don't sign a striker there will be some very restless natives on Tyneside in the morning.

In a further development, Newcastle are also being linked with a move to sign defender Liam Ridgewell from Birmingham City. It is not known whether Nile Ranger would join Birmingham as part of the deal.