Steve Bruce has described Danny Rose as a “class act” as Newcastle’s manager made it clear he hopes to sign the England left-back on loan from Tottenham.

The relationship between Rose and José Mourinho has become tense but matters are complicated by Newcastle being resistent to a permanent deal and Tottenham’s enthusiasm for selling a 29-year-old earning around £60,000 a week and with almost 18 months on his contract.

Newcastle have contacted Spurs to discuss the possibility of borrowing Rose until the end of the season. Although Bournemouth and Watford are also in pursuit, Rose enjoyed living in the north-east during a loan at Sunderland and is keen to secure a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2020.

Even so, the likelihood of Rose ending up at Newcastle are rated 50-50. “The kid’s a quality player and a class act,” Bruce said. “Whether it’s possible, who knows.”

His hunt for a left-back, or left wing-back, assumed urgency when Newcastle lost two important left-sided defenders, Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett, to season-ending injuries last week.

Bruce has strengthened his midfield, securing loans for Tottenham’s former midfielder Nabil Bentaleb from Schalke and the Austria winger Valentino Lazaro from Internazionale.

Lazaro signed too late to play in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to League One Oxford United in front of a 52,000 sell-out crowd as Newcastle aim to reach the fifth round for the first time since 2006, but Bentaleb could start.

Although the Algeria midfielder last played in the Bundesliga in April and has since been exiled from Schalke’s squad for “disciplinary reasons”, Bruce has been impressed by his quality and fitness in training. “Nabil’s had fallouts with a few people but that’s normal; if that’s a maverick, then bring on the maverick,” he said. “He’s a good player and a good acquisition; Nabil’s got exceptional fitness levels and that bit of quality we need.”

Lazaro is in line to make his debut at home to Norwich in the Premier League next Saturday. If all goes well, the 23-year-old and Newcastle are expected to exercise an option to make the move permanent in the summer. “Valentino’s a quality player who can play in a few positions but is a natural winger,” Bruce said. “His delivery is excellent.”