Newcastle United news: Brendan Rodgers favourite if McClaren is axed, Mitrovic and Cisse miss La Manga trip

But Papiss Cisse and Aleksandar Mitrovic are not among the group that have jetted out to Spain.

McClaren has taken a 26-man party to La Manga, where the Magpies will start their training sessions on Wednesday afternoon, while also playing a friendly against Norwegian side Lillestrom on Saturday.

Paul Dummett, Vurnon Anita and Siem de Jong, who have all been ruled out by injury recently, are part of the travelling squad.

The Newcastle squad that has travelled to La Manga: Rolando Aarons, Vurnon Anita, Daniel Barlaser, Jack Colback, Fabricio Coloccini, Karl Darlow, Siem de Jong, Seydou Doumbia, Paul Dummett, Rob Elliot, Liam Gibson, Yoan Gouffran, Daryl Janmaat, Jamaal Lascelles, Ayoze Perez, Emmanuel Riviere, Henri Saivet, Jonjo Shelvey, Moussa Sissoko, Jamie Sterry, Steven Taylor, Cheick Tiote, Andros Townsend, Georginio Wijnaldum, Callum Williams, Freddie Woodman.

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Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers is the favourite to be the next Newcastle United manager should the club decide to sack Steve McClaren.

Former Liverpool boss Rodgers has emerged as the leading contender to take over the Toon hotseat with McClaren clinging on to his job after watching his side slip into the relegation zone after a 5-1 hammering by Chelsea at the weekend.

McClaren will be given further time to turn the situation around at St James’s Park, despite only winning seven games since taking over in the summer.

But the Gazette understands Rodgers is being seriously considered should McClaren prove incapable of getting the team out of trouble.

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