Newcastle willing to pay top target Pochettino £19m a year

Newcastle United have made former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino their top target and are willing to pay him £19m a year for his services, according to reports.

The Magpies are in the process of being bought out by PCP Capital Partners, who have paid a non-refundable £17m deposit to Mike Ashley ahead of their proposed takeover.

While the deal is yet to be ratified by the Premier League – who are facing pressure from Amnesty International – Newcastle are already making plans to progress when the deal goes through.

OPINION: F365 Says: Pochettino at Newcastle would be glorious…

Reports have previously claimed in recent weeks that Max Allegri is one of the ‘leading contenders’, alongside former St James’ Park favourite Rafa Benitez, currently with Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League.

They will be considered alongside Lucien Favre of Borussia Dortmund, as well as the unattached former Spurs boss Pochettino.

However, Sky Sports now reports that Pochettino is seen as the ‘number one choice to be the next manager at St James’ Park’ and the potential new Newcastle owners are prepared to ‘pay him £19m a year’.

They have been ‘impressed by the rebuilding project carried out’ by Pochettino at Tottenham as he led the north London club to the final of the Champions League last campaign before being replaced this part-way through this season.

Newcastle’s prospective owners ‘believe he is the perfect candidate to help transform Newcastle into one of Europe’s top clubs over the next five years’.

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