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Jose Mourinho Favourite For Newcastle United Manager Job With Claudio Ranieri Second

Jose Mourinho Favourite For Newcastle United Manager Job With Claudio Ranieri Second

He's been installed as the favourite to replace Rafael Benitez.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Jose Mourinho has emerged as the strong favourite to be the next Newcastle United manager following the departure of Rafael Benitez.

Benitez, who took over in March 2016, will leave the club when his contract expires on June 30.

Newcastle finished a respectable 13th in the Premier League last season as the Spaniard guided his side to safety and stayed clear of a relegation dogfight.

And Mourinho has been installed as the favourite to replace Benitez, with most bookmakers giving him shorts odds for the post.

The ex-Chelsea and Manchester United gaffer is now the 3/1 outright favourite to become Newcastle manager, while ex-Chelsea and Leicester City chief Claudio Ranieri is the second favourite.

Image: Oddschecker
Image: Oddschecker

"Jose Mourinho's usual mandate is that the club he is joining is one of the biggest and wealthiest in the country," said Oddschecker spokesperson Callum Wilson.

"So joining Mike Ashley's Newcastle, where the purse strings are notoriously tight, seems pretty far-fetched.

"This isn't stopping the money piling in though, with Mourinho continuing to prove popular."

Mourinho, whose been out of work since December 2018 after he was sacked by United, has been linked with a few managerial posts including Marseille and Celtic.

And in August last year, the Portuguese was asked to give his thoughts on the St. James' Park club.

"I like to go there," he said about Newcastle.

"I like the feeling of going to Mr Robson's home. I like that feeling.

"I like the stadium. I like the atmosphere. They are a good, enthusiastic crowd. I like the Geordies."

Image: PA
Image: PA

As Newcastle search for a successor, the club remains subject to intense speculation regarding a potential takeover but talks on that front have evaporated.

Bin Zayed Group (BZG) were believed to be in the process of taking over the North East outfit.

Mourinho to Newcastle? Watch this space.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Celtic, Football, Manchester United, Rafael Benitez, Premier League, Newcastle United

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado, and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping and Anthony Joshua. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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