Newcastle United coach put on standby to take charge of pre-season training

The club will be without a manager following the revelation that Benitez’s contract will not be extended.

Newcastle are not expected to make any formal approaches to managerial candidates until Benitez’s contract expires on Sunday.

The likes of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Patrick Vieira and Gennaro Gattuso are being considered by the club’s hierarchy, who could appoint a head coach rather than a manager.

However, it is unlikely that there will be an appointment before July 4, when the players are due to return for the start of pre-season training.

And 54-year-old Redfearn, the recently-appointed Under-23 head coach, is ready to move across to the first-team training centre, along with Ben Dawson, the Academy’s head of coaching, until Benitez’s successor arrives.

Benitez had put together the club’s pre-season late last season after being told the team would take part in the four-team Premier League Asia Trophy in China next month.

However, the training schedule must now be finalised without Benitez’s input.

Meanwhile, Redfearn – who has managed Leeds United and had a brief spell working with Dawson last season – revealed how he would draw on his “life and career experiences” after taking the role at the club’s Academy earlier this month.

"It's my life experiences and career experiences that I can bring, which might just give the players that bit of an edge or give them a different perspective to get themselves in there,” said Redfearn.