New Newcastle owners ‘make Mauricio Pochettino No1 target’ for next season if £300m takeover is completed

NEWCASTLE'S potential new owners have made Mauricio Pochettino their No1 target for next season if their £300million takeover is completed, according to reports.

The Toon are set to be taken over by a Saudi consortium led by Amanda Staveley in the coming weeks.

The deal now just has to get past the fit and proper person test.

And the prospective new owners are desperate to land out-of-work former Tottenham boss Pochettino as their first task should everything go through smoothly, according to Sky Sports.

Pochettino has been linked with a host of jobs since being sacked by Spurs in November, including his former club's fierce rivals Arsenal.

But in a bold new era, Newcastle's possible new owners are looking for star names, both on the pitch and in the coaching staff.

That would mean Steve Bruce being sacked and a big-name chief being hired - with Pochettino thought to be their top target.

Newcastle have also been linked with Jorge Jesus in recent days, but club sources claimed Poch is the one they want.

The 65-year-old Flamengo chief led his side to an historic double last season - winning the Brazilian league title as well as the Copa Libertadores.

It is the first time it has been achieved since Pele led Santos to the accolade in 1962 and 1963.

Prior to the Pochettino news, Rafa Benitez, who controversially left the Toon last summer after a fall-out with Mike Ashley and Co, was runaway favourite at 3/1.

Massimiliano Allegri, who won five Serie A titles in his five seasons at Juventus - is now second-favourite at 6/1 with Paddy Power to take the role.

Steven Gerrard (12/1), Sean Dyche, Roberto Martinez and Mauricio Pochettino (all 14/1) and Eddie Howe (16/1) are the others in contention.