Rooney responds to 'interest' in Newcastle job amid Bruce replacement claims

Wayne Rooney claims he's had no contact from Newcastle despite suggestions he was interested in taking over from Steve Bruce.

The Magpies were recently taken over by a Saudi-led consortium and the future of their current manager has been thrown into doubt.

Newcastle's new owners were poised to axe Bruce before the defeat against Tottenham on Sunday, but the 60-year-old remained in the dugout for what was his 1000th game as a manager.

He is working on borrowed time, however, with the new hierarchy set to replace him sooner rather than later.

A host of names have been linked with the job including Lucien Fabre, Eddie Howe and Steven Gerrard - who gave his response to speculation last week.

Wayne Rooney is the latest name linked with the Newcastle job

Rooney is the latest name touted as Newcastle's next boss, with the Chronicle reporting that he was interested in the role.

The former Manchester United star though has distanced himself from the job, underlining his commitment to Derby.

"I saw that this morning [Tuesday]," he told DerbyshireLive when quizzed on the rumours.

"From my point of view I cannot stop speculation, I get that, but I have had no contact at all with Newcastle United and obviously, as I have stated before, I am committed to this football club."

Rooney took over at Pride Park in November of last year and has won just a quarter of his 51 games.

He narrowly avoided relegation last term and is again battling the drop this term with a Derby side that saw points deducted due to their financial issues.

Bruce was quizzed on his future following Sunday's defeat in the north east and called on the new owners to make their stance clear.

He told Sky Sports : "That's for other people to decide. If I was reading everything and seeing everything last week, I might not have been here today.

"But my job is to get a few results and unfortunately, if you're a manager in the Premier League and you haven't won in seven or eight, you become under pressure.

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"It's part and parcel of being in the Premier League with the big boys and I'll crack on and carry on as best I can until I hear otherwise.

"Every football club needs clarity from the top right through to all the things that make a football club what it is.

"The new owners have been very respectful, I can't say enough of them with the way they've gone about their business.

"But Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say. We've got our frailties as a team and it's up to me, in the near future anyway, to hopefully get better."