The former Roma boss is the favourite for the job
Newcastle United’s new owners have reportedly held talks with former Roma manager Paulo Fonseca as they look to fill the managerial vacancy left by Steve Bruce’s sacking.
Fonseca was in charge of Roma for two seasons between 2019 and 2021, with the Portuguese manager leading the Italian side to a fifth place finish in Serie A in his first season.
The 48-year-old also guided ‘I Giallorossi’ to the semi-finals of the Europa League last season before being replaced at the helm by former Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho in the summer.
In total, he was in charge of 101 matches for Roma, winning 53, drawing 28 and losing 28.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk boss nearly joined Spurs as their manager in June before the London outfit opted for a different approach by appointing Nuno Espirito Santo.
Newcastle decision on new manager will take some days. Paulo Fonseca would be open to accept and excited for this opportunity after Spurs job chance collapsed at final stages last summer – but Newcastle are in talks with many candidates. ⚪️ #NUFC
Race still open for Magpies job.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 21, 2021
A number of candidates are being considered by the Magpies’ Saudi-backed consortium, including former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, ex-Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez.
Bruce was sacked on Wednesday with Newcastle yet to win in the Premier League, with the Public Investment Fund taking the time to consider their options before making a decision on who will be the first manager in their reign as owners.
Assistant coach Graeme Jones will take charge in an interim capacity for Saturday’s game away at Crystal Palace.
Following the confirmation that he had left the club, Bruce admitted that the difficulty he faced as Newcastle United manager may lead to him leaving football management, in an interview published following his sacking as the club’s manager.
Speaking to Luke Edwards of the Telegraph, Bruce cited his family and the toll the job has taken on them for potentially moving on from management.
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