---
title: "Steve Bruce responds to McCormack exit speculation"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2016/12/01/steve-bruce-responds-mccormack-exit-speculation/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ste Hoare"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2016-12-01T11:01:45Z"
modified: "2016-12-01T11:01:45Z"
---

# Steve Bruce responds to McCormack exit speculation

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has responded to rumours linking striker Ross McCormack away from the club and says that he wants to keep him and that he will be given his chance to shine in January.

The 30-year-old has been on the fringes of the first team since Bruce took over, starting just two games and that led to speculation that he could leave the club and that they could look to get back some of the £12million that they paid for him.

![Stu Forster/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readastonvilla.com/readastonvilla/2016/12/591502744.jpg)

Bruce admitted earlier in the week that his squad was unbalanced and that he could probably lose a forward player, a comment that only added fuel to the McCormack leaving fire, but the manager insists that he wants to keep the player and that he’ll be given a chance to impress soon enough.

He told the [Birmingham Mail](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-steve-bruce-say-12251326):

> It hasn’t really got off to the start he would have liked. It’s a long, hard season and we are only a third of the way through. There’s a long way to go. It could be the second part of the season that we see Ross. In January especially, when we lose two or three then he could be crucial.

Jonathan Kodjia heads to the Africa Cup of Nations in January. That could be McCormack’s chance to show his qualities.