Newcastle United takeover & transfer news: Magpies 'close' agreement with Mauricio Pochettino as £90m star is 'personally telephoned'

The Gazette understands Mauricio Pochettino is interested in the managerial role at St James’s Park under the Saudi-backed consortium.

Indeed, former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell said over the weekend that Pochettino is ‘primed’ for Newcastle.

He told Sky Sports: “I think Steve Bruce is a fantastic manager but when new people come and take over a football club – I know it’s done yet but I think it’s very close – they want to bring their own manager in, don't they?”

“They think: ‘if we’re going to pile all this money in, we’re going to want a manager who is our manager’ and he (Pochettino) is primed for a Newcastle.”

And according to Spanish publication TodoFichajes, the Magpies ‘have practically closed the agreement’ for the Argentine to replace Steve Bruce.

The report adds Pochettino has ‘set conditions’ – including a swoop for Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Harry Kane, who ‘he has personally telephoned’ to sign for Newcastle.

Kane is a ‘main objective’ for Newcastle, however Spurs won’t entertain bids that are below the £90m mark with four years remaining on the player’s contract.

The same publication claims the Magpies are interested in Ainsley Maitland-Niles after falling out-of-favour at Arsenal since Mikel Arteta’s arrival.

The 22-year-old is also attracting interest from Manchester City and Everton, plus clubs in France, Germany and Italy.

But while ambitious incomings continue to hit the news, the future of Javier Manquillo remains up in the air, whose contract expires this summer.

As per Estadio Deportivo, Manquillo is unlikely to sign a new deal on Tyneside, so has already asked about a return to his native Spain.

Real Betis and Sevilla have registered their interest but West Ham United are willing to offer him the chance to remain in England.

Hammers boss David Moyes has previously worked with the 26-year-old full-back having signed him on loan for Sunderland in 2016.