Bookmakers have slashed the odds on Massimiliano Allegri becoming the next Newcastle manager as the club's £350million takeover moves closer to completion.
The Italian left Juventus at the end of last season and has been out of work since, despite being linked with a host of teams across Europe.
Magpies' owner Mike Ashley is in talks with a group led by Amanda Staveley to sell the club after 13 years at St James'.
And the ambitious prospective buyers are thought to want a big name to replace current manager Steve Bruce.
Allegri's odds have been cut to 6/1 while former manager Rafa Benitez is the favourite at 3/1.
Benitez left the club last summer after a fall-out with Ashley but remains popular among fans.
Allegri won five Serie A titles with Juventus and was twice a Champions League runner-up. He was strongly linked with the Manchester United job at the start of the season but could now takeover at St James' Park.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard and Benitez's former captain at Liverpool is 12/1.
Other names on the bookies' list include former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto Martinez and Burnley manager Sean Dyche who are all 14/1.
Bruce had led Newcastle to 13th in the Premier League before football was suspended but his side are the joint lowest scorers in the division alongside Norwich City who are bottom.
