Reported four-man shortlist to replace Bruce at Newcastle

Newcastle United’s prospective new owners have reportedly drawn up a fourman shortlist to replace Steve Bruce at the end of the 2019/20 Premier League season – and it contains one surprise Bundesliga name.

According to Eurosport journalist Manu Lonjon, if the Saudi-financed takeover get the green light from the Premier League, as expected, Rafa Benitez, Mauricio

Pochettino, Massimiliano Allegri and Lucien Favre are all names in the frame to take charge of first-team matters.

While former Spurs boss Pochettino is out of work at present, having effectively been placed on gardening leave by Daniel Levy, ex-United favourite Benitez would cost upwards of £20million to free him from a deal with Dalian Yifang, which still has two years to run.

Ex-Juventus and AC Milan boss Allegri is also a free agent, having taken a yearlong sabbatical after five straight Serie A title wins in Turin.

However, Borussia Dortmund boss Favre is now a surprise name on the list.

Favre’s Dortmund deal comes to an end this summer.

Current United boss Bruce faces an uncertain future beyond the end of a Premier League season, suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A Daily Telegraph claims Bruce, controversially appointed as Benitez’s managerial successor on a three-year contract last summer, “does not expect to be part of the longer-term plans” of the prospective owners, who are waiting for the Premier League to complete their owners’ and directors’ test.

The report adds that Bruce’s attempts to find out information about the situation from owner Mike Ashley “have been met with silence”.

Meanwhile, Bruce “fears” that he has just weeks left as Newcastle head coach, according to a report.

The Gazette reported last week that Bruce will be safe, for now, if a £300million takeover led by Amanda Staveley is completed in the coming weeks.

However, Bruce faces an uncertain future beyond the end of the current Premier League season which has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.