Newcastle have been tipped to appoint Eddie Howe as their new manager after sacking Steve Bruce last month. Bruce left the club after Mike Ashley sold it to a Saudi-led consortium. Unai Emery was the top target for Newcastle to replace Bruce but has rejected the job.
Newcastle target Eddie Howe 'was not on Amanda Staveley's first list of manager options' (Image: GETTY)
And it appears they have now turned their attentions to former Bournemouth boss Howe.
The 43-year-old has been out of work since departing the Cherries at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and has apparently been interviewed for the top job.
But, according to the Independent, Howe wasn’t even on Amanda Staveley’s initial list of potential candidates.
Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners took a 10 per cent stake in Newcastle as part of the consortium which purchased the club.
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And she is now responsible for overseeing the day-to-day running of it.
But with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Ruben Brothers’ RB Sports & Media also involved in decision-making, there appears to be a lack of clarity and conviction.
It was her fellow members of the consortium who suggested Howe as an option to Staveley in the first place.
Roberto Martinez, Paulo Fonseca, Frank Lampard and Lucien Favre have also reportedly been interviewed for the job, but a decision is yet to be made over who to appoint.
None of Howe’s rivals have experience of consistently keeping a team in the Premier League, and the former Bournemouth manager eventually suffered relegation himself as boss of the Cherries.
The takeover of Newcastle was completed last month (Image: GETTY)
Over a quarter of the Premier League season has already been played and Newcastle only have a measly four points.
Time is of the essence if the Magpies want to give their new manager the best chance of keep the team in the top-flight.
But Staveley’s comments before Bruce departed indicate that she may be willing to bide her time for longer.
“It is imperative that we continue to be patient and considered in our approach,” she said last month.
“Change does not always happen overnight, it demands time and that we follow a carefully considered plan and strategy.”