Newcastle United fans might just be tired of the word ‘takeover’ at this point. The Magpies are yet to reach a conclusion with respect to their club’s ownership and the delay could hurt them in more than one area.
The Premier League season will end in 11 days and the focus of clubs will turn to the transfer window. The lack of clarity with respect to the ownership of the club may not allow Newcastle to make any moves in the window, which could see them miss out on some of their targets.
The managerial situation is complicated too. Steve Bruce has done a wonderful job at the club this term, but whether he remains for next season is anyone’s guess.
A number of top-class managers have been linked with the Newcastle job since the news of a potential takeover emerged. Jose Mourinho, before he joined Tottenham, was one of them along with the likes of Massimiliano Allegri and Rafa Benitez.
The one world-class manager who was tipped to be the preferred choice for the job was Mauricio Pochettino. The former Spurs boss has been without a job since leaving North London and joining a rich and ambitious Newcastle side would certainly have been an interesting move.
Sky Sports claimed at the end of April that Pochettino was Newcastle’s prospective new owners’ number one choice to take charge.
The report even claimed that the former Spurs boss would be offered a staggering £19 million-a-year contract to join the club, which would be difficult to turn down.
Newcastle fans were extremely excited about the prospect of a world-class manager like Pochettino taking over the club. However, the delay in the takeover could see them miss out on the Argentine very soon.
The Telegraph claims that Italian giants Inter Milan and Juventus are both interested in appointing Pochettino as their new boss. Managing one of the biggest clubs in Europe is a temptation that very few can turn down and Pochettino is likely to be no different.
However, there could be one small chance for Newcastle to get their man. The report says that Pochettino’s preferred choice at the moment is to return to the Premier League.
None of the traditional top six is likely to change their managers this summer, while the other projects in the league are unlikely to be attractive enough for the Argentine.
If Newcastle can complete their takeover soon and go all-in for Pochettino, they might still get him. However, further delay in their chase could see the former Spurs boss leading one of the two biggest clubs in Italy before the start of next season.
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