The Mirror understands that Mauricio Pochettino would be Newcastle’s first choice to replace Eddie Howe should the Magpies boss depart for the England job.
Howe is in the running to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager, a development that has triggered contingency plans at St James’ Park.
Newcastle are said to be lining up a move for Pochettino, the former Tottenham and Chelsea manager, should Howe take over England.
Newcastle are said to be keen to get an answer quickly as they have a limited timeframe to chase their first-choice target should Howe leave, with Pochettino having a number of admirers.
Howe is settled at Newcastle, but he has recently lost two of his biggest supporters in the boardroom, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, who recently exited the club following a share sale.
Newcastle’s recently appointed sporting director, Paul Mitchell, was the man who brought Pochettino to Southampton back when he was a relatively unknown manager while in charge of recruitment at the Saints.
Mitchell and Pochettino worked together again at Tottenham and have built up a good working relationship. Mitchell knows that Pochettino has a lot of suitors, and he has even been mentioned as a potential candidate for England himself. So if Howe takes what he has previously called the ‘dream job’, Newcastle will have to act fast.
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