Newcastle United are thought to have held talks with Remi Garde about the possibility of him succeeding Alan Pardew as manager.
The Magpies agreed to let Pardew leave St James’ Park to become the new boss at Crystal Palace earlier this month, and have seen placed John Carver in caretaker charge. Despite the latter being a popular figure amongst the first team squad, it is unlikely club owner Mike Ashley will give the 49-year-old Geordie the chance to earn the position on a permanent basis.
Frank de Boer, the Ajax coach, was said to be high on the list of potential candidates, but the Dutchman has rejected the possibility of leaving his current club for Tyneside. A number of other options have been mooted, but it now appears as though Ashley has turned to former Lyon head coach Garde, who is available after leaving Stade de Gerland last summer after three years.
The 48-year-old is best remembered in England for his spell at Arsenal from 1996 to 1999. Although he was never considered to be a key first team player for the Gunners, he played his part as they won the Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997-98. He has since earned a reputation as one of the brightest coaches in France, and is highly regarded by Arsene Wenger.
Indeed, it is believed the Emirates Stadium boss has been approached by Newcastle who asked for his view on Garde potentially succeeding Pardew, and the Frenchman gave a glowing reference to his compatriot. Reports suggest representatives from the Magpies stayed in the capital following the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday, after which they opened talks with Garde.
Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Paul Clement could be a contender for the job. Although the 43-year-old has yet to manage in his own right, he has established himself as one of the best coaches around during his stints as assistant manager at Chelsea from 2007 to 2011, after which he followed Carlo Ancelotti to Paris Saint Germain and, presently, Real Madrid.
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