After sacking Steve Bruce, Newcastle United, who are recently taken over by Saudi Arabian billionaires PIF, are speeding up their search for a new manager. Here are the six possible successors to Bruce.
Paulo Fonseca
Paulo Fonseca’s name is high on the wishlist of the Magpies for the new managerial role. Fonseca quit AS Roma in the summer and was close to joining Premier League club Tottenham. However, the move couldn’t be materialised after talks broke down between him and the North Londoners. The Portuguese gaffer has a pretty impressive portfolio, managing top clubs like Porto and Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk, leading the latter to three consecutive league titles.
Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard has been linked with a move to St. James’ Park since Newcastle underwent the takeover and he is reportedly ready to make a return to the Premier League. The former Liverpool star commenced his managerial career with Rangers, whom he led to the Scottish league title last season, breaking the dominance of Celtic in the process. Gerrard has long been mooted to become the manager of Liverpool once Jurgen Klopp quits his role.
Frank Lampard
Next up is Gerrard’s former England teammate Frank Lampard, who has been without a job for a year after being axed by Chelsea. Lampard made his return to Stamford Bridge in 2019 but he failed to exceed the expectations. The legendary midfielder could match Newcastle’s ambition as he had overseen a mega transfer spree during his time with the Blues, the thing the Magpies’ new owners want to do in the coming transfer windows.
Lucien Favre
Lucien Favre deployed an attacking brand of football during his time at Borussia Dortmund, but unfortunately, he was relieved of his duties after failing to compete with Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title. The experienced Swiss manager rejected an offer from Crystal Palace in the summer as he felt that he was not ready to return to the managerial role. But Newcastle’s project appears to be tempting enough to reject and Favre would be an optimal choice if the new owners want to appease the fans with an attractive style of football, which has been missing for years at the Tyneside club.
Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez has grown into one of the top class managers after moulding the Belgian national team into a force to reckon with. The Spanish manager has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, who are also keen on a new manager to replace under-fire Ronald Koeman. While addressing the rumours about Barca, Martinez hinted about a possible exit from Belgium, stating that anything could happen in football.
Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe left Bournemouth last year after a spell that spanned for nearly a decade. During his time at Cherries, he had his fair share of ups and downs but received praises for implementing a passing style of football. Howe could be a perfect option to lead the Toon, having the experience of battling relegation several times.
