Brendan Rodgers is Newcastle’s No 1 target as their wealthy new owners line up Steve Bruce’s replacement but the Leicester boss has his sights set on another Premier League job
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Newcastle United: What will the takeover mean?
Brendan Rodgers will reject any approach from Newcastle as the Magpies look to lure the Northern Irishman away from the King Power, according to reports.
A Saudi-led consortium completed their takeover at St James’ Park last week making the north east outfit the richest in the world.
Their majority owner, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has a wealth of £300bn and is ready to turn Newcastle into a major force.
Steve Bruce is expected to be axed and Rodgers heads their list of people to replace him following his impressive work at Leicester.
Newcastle’s new hierarchy are prepared to pay Rodgers’ £16m release clause in an early display of their wealth – with their aspirations already being stated.
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Leicester City FC via Getty Imag)
The Foxes appointed the former Liverpool boss back in 2019 and he has twice come close to leading them into the Champions League whilst also delivering the FA Cup.
That came after an impressive spell north of the border at Celtic.
Newcastle’s search may have to extend beyond Rodgers however, who has other long-term plans.
Big ambitions
Having rebuilt his reputation following a difficult end at Anfield Rodgers is once again on the radar of England’s leading clubs.
Tottenham were keen on the 48-year-old in the summer before hiring Nuno Espirito Santo.
Rodgers though is holding out for one of the top jobs in the Premier League with the Daily Mail reporting Manchester City are viewing him as a successor to Pep Guardiola.
The Catalan is set to walk away from the Etihad after seven years when his contract expires in 2023 and the Leicester boss knows he is on their wishlist.
City chiefs have been impressed by Rodgers’ coaching style, which would compliment their current squad and build on the foundations laid by Guardiola.
The Leicester boss masterminded an impressive 5-2 win at the Etihad last season and his side have always provided a stern test for the champions.
He went close to delivering the league title whilst at Liverpool and has worked wonders given his greatly reduced resources compared to England’s elite.
Any move to Newcastle could scupper his availability in 18 months time, even though his Leicester contract runs until 2025.
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Plumb Images)
Newcastle’s options
Bruce is set to be relieved of his duties before the match against Tottenham on Sunday, the first under the new regime – although they have been warned to think twice.
First-team coach Graeme Jones is in line to take caretaker charge, but the club would like to appoint a long-term boss sooner rather than later.
Finding a new director of football to lead their transfer business, which will begin in the January window, is also high on their agenda.
Newcastle’s owners, whose takeover has already angered fellow Premier League club chiefs, are conscious about pushing heavily for a rival boss, which could be ‘politically disruptive’.
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As a result other options will be sought despite their admiration for Rodgers.
Former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre has been heavily linked with the job as has Brighton’s Graham Potter, who has started the season impressively on the south coast.
Antonio Conte, who won the title with Chelsea in 2017, is free having left Inter Milan in the summer and has been touted as an ambitious target.
The club’s immediate plan however must be securing a first win of the reason and moving towards survival as they currently languish in the bottom three.
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