Newcastle United have reportedly prepared a £6m deal to offer Paulo Fonseca to take over as manager at St. James' Park.
The new Saudi-led ownership, who completed a takeover of the Magpies earlier in October, dismissed previous boss Steve Bruce on Wednesday, with the side stuck in 19th spot in the Premier League table with just three points from their first eight games.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle have now identified former Roma manager Fonseca as a prime target to lead the club forward and have prepared a £6m wage package to tempt the 48-year-old.
The report continues, saying that new director Amanda Staveley sees Fonseca as the ideal candidate to guide the Magpies out of the relegation battle this season, before the Saudi Public Investment Fund's reported plans to quickly climb the table in the coming years.
The Portuguese manager departed Roma at the end of last season, and he was close to taking over at Tottenham Hotspur in the summer before talks fell through in North London.
Sam Varley
