Newcastle United have four managers on wishlist as new name emerges alongside Rafa Benitez - 7M sport

Newcastle United have four managers on wishlist as new name emerges alongside Rafa Benitez



Posted Thursday, May 07, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Newcastle United have four managers on wishlist as new name emerges alongside Rafa Benitez
Newcastle United news: There are four managers on the wishlist of the new owners (Image: GETTY/GUILLEM BALAGUE YOUTUBE)

Newcastle United have added RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann to their managerial wishlist.

Newcastle United's prospective new owners have four managers on their wishlist for when their takeover is complete, says European football expert Guillem Balague. Current Newcastle owner Mike Ashley last month agreed the £300million sale of the club to PCP Capital Partners, who are backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is understood to be the No 1 choice to replace current manager Steve Bruce.

Ex-Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is also said to be a target for the Magpies.

But Balague says Rafa Benitez is also in line for a potential return to St James' Park, as well as RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann, 32, has earned a fine reputation in Germany during his time in charge at Hoffenheim and now at RB Leipzig.

"What I know for sure is Pochettino, Rafa Benitez and Allegri are the three names on the table for Newcastle," Balague said on his YouTube channel.

"They want to convince one of them, or Nagelsmann.

"Of course as ambitious as they are, they want one of those four actually, Nagelsmann as well. We will see.

"I believe Rafa Benitez hasn't got a call yet, I know that Pochettino is aware of the interest, very aware of the interest, even before Sky Sports News came out with the story that he's the No 1 target.

"He's aware of the story, he's aware of the interest. That's as far as I would say.

"In the case of Allegri, ambitious as well but without experience in the Premier League.

"And Nagelsmann I think is very happy at the moment in Germany with a club that are fighting for the title and will fight for the title in the next few years.

"So I'm not sure he's in a rush to go anywhere else either. That's the situation that I know of at Newcastle."

Meanwhile, Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol says Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is a target for Newcastle.

"[Koulibaly] is likely to leave Napoli this summer," Solhekol said.

"They value him at about £80m and if this Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle goes ahead, then the new owners want to sign Koulibaly.

"And our information is that Koulibaly could be interested in moving to St James' Park to be part of a new project because he thinks that with this new economic power, Newcastle could become one of the biggest clubs in the world."



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