Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers will reject Newcastle United approach because he believes he will succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, according to reports.
Newcastle were bought by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund last week and have the wealthiest owners in football, with the club’s new hierarchy keen to turn the club into title challengers.
A new manager is high on their list of priorities, with Steve Bruce set to be sacked before this weekend’s Premier League game with Tottenham.
Several high-profile names have been linked with the job, including Antonio Conte, Brighton manager Graham Potter and former Dortmund coach Lucien Favre.
But reports emerged on Wednesday saying Leicester coach Rodgers was Newcastle’s preferred option and they were ready to pay £16m to release him from his contract.
Unfortunately for the Magpies, the Daily Mail claim that the Northern Irishman will reject any approach from St James’ Park and wants a bigger job in the future.
Guardiola is expected to step down as Manchester City manager when his contract expires in 2023 and Rodgers is aware that he is one of the leading managers to replace him.
The former Celtic and Liverpool coach is highly rated by City who feel his outstanding coaching ability would be a good fit for the team and the foundations Guardiola will leave behind.
But a move to Newcastle would destroy Rodgers’ hopes of getting the City gig, while he is said to be committed to Leicester despite a tough start to the campaign.
Newcastle’s owners, meanwhile, do not want to push too hard for a rival manager in the Premier League in what could be a ‘politically disruptive’ move so early in their tenure.
