Chris Hughton s the only senior coach still on Newcastle’s pay roll and he will be asked to take charge of pre-season preparations if the current status quo continues to next weekend.
The first-team squad will start pre-season training on July 1, Magpies owner Mike Ashley accepts someone will have to be in charge by the end of next week.
That could be Alan Shearer, with further talks aimed at installing the club’s all-time record scorer planned for the weekend.
The four consortia currently involved in the due diligence process are all understood to be in favour of Shearer’s appointment, but the terms of any contract are still to be agreed, and that could lead to problems.