Newcastle United are considering appointing Brendan Rodgers as their new head coach, according to a report in the Daily Star.
Current incumbent Steve McClaren is said to be under intense pressure after Saturday’s 5-1 thumping at the hands of Chelsea, which returned the Magpies to the Premier League’s bottom three.
The former England manager has overseen a transfer spend of around £80m since taking the reins last summer, but is struggling to drag his side out of the division’s lower reaches.
Newcastle do not play against until early March, but defeat in their next two fixtures against Stoke and Bournemouth could spell the end of the 54-year-old’s tenure.
Earlier this week, odds were slashed on Rodgers – who was sacked as Liverpool manager in October – being the man to replace McClaren on Tyneside, and the Ulsterman is being “seriously considered” by the Newcastle hierarchy, the Star report claims.
Rodgers experienced success in the Championship with both Watford and Swansea, with whom he won promotion to the top flight, before taking over at Anfield and leading the club to within inches of a first league title in 24 years.
However, transfer market failings led to the 43-year-old struggling to replicate his early Liverpool success.
Former Manchester United and Real Sociedad boss David Moyes is the second favourite to replace McClaren with Ladbrokes, while Michael Laudrup is at (8/1) and Harry Redknapp, Nicky Butt and Tony Pulis (all 10/1) are also all in the frame.