Jose Mourinho is ready to hold talks over becoming the next manager of Newcastle United, according to the Mirror.
The two time Champions League winning boss has been touted as a potential target for the Bin Zayed Group should they complete their takeover of the Toon Army.
And it is understood that Mourinho, who has been out of work since leaving Manchester United earlier this year, has revealed to friends that he would consider the role seriously should it be offered to him.
OPINION
This is a really bittersweet one for Newcastle fans. On the one hand, Mourinho is a world class manager. Yes, the wheels came off in acrimonious fashion during his time at United, and there is the creeping feeling that his powers might just be beginning to wane as the game continues to modernise around him, but the fact still remains that he is one of the most desirable managers in world football. That being said, to bring in Mourinho, Rafa Benitez would have to be given the axe, and that is a prospect that most fans will not want to face at all. On paper, Mourinho might be the more alluring prospect, but Benitez is a messianic figure on Tyneside, and the Geordies would rather have him at the helm than pretty much anybody else. Mourinho would be stunning appointment, but there are a lot of bridges to be crossed before we reach that point, and despite all of his achievements, he would still feel like a runner-up prize.