However, a bid to bring in an experienced Spanish midfielder – revealed to be 33-year-old Arturo GarcĂ*a Muñoz, or Arzu – fell short unexpectedly yesterday morning.
Stubbins had hoped Arzu, who played most of his 270 games with Real Betis in La Liga, would be in Newcastle for a medical this week.
Any chance of a deal ended in a 2am phone call from Arzu to Stubbins yesterday.
‘‘He would have been great for us,’’ Stubbins said. ‘‘He was captain of Real Betis at one stage and played with, and against, some very good players but it wasn’t to be.
‘‘His wife is due to have their second baby in August and it proved a bridge too far to be away from his young family.
