Patrick Vieira is happy at his current club Nice, but “will listen” if Newcastle make an approach over their vacant manager’s job, according to the BBC Sport website.
The former Arsenal midfielder is believed to be on the shortlist of potential replacements for Rafa Benitez, and, if true, has left the door wide-open for Newcastle to make contact.
Vieira was said to be a serious contender for the role in 2015, before Newcastle decided against him, instead offering the job to the woeful Steve McClaren.
Vieira had not managed at senior level when Newcastle made their last approach, but since then, he has been head coach of MLS side New York City, before taking up his current role at La Liga side Nice, three years later.
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If Newcastle are genuinely considering the French powerhouse, they will undoubtedly be getting a better manager now than the novice they allegedly interviewed four years ago.
He is someone who would gain respect from his squad – as he did from his teammates as a player.
Patrick Vieira would be a manager familiar with Premier League
One of the Premier League all-time greats, Vieira knows what it takes to be successful in the English top flight, and would not be daunted by managing in the world’s greatest league.
He could also seek advice from his former manager, Arsene Wenger – also mentioned in the Newcastle manager conversation, before seeming to distance himself from it – on how to succeed, and the pitfalls to avoid.
All in all, he would be a very good appointment, and would likely be open to being given a head coach role, and although he may advise on signings, any final decisions would be made by others.
Newcastle fans will hope that the person making those decisions will be someone other than Lee Charnley, who constantly seems to struggle to complete transfer deals smoothly.
Vieira coming in, with a proper Director of Football, with experience in the game, to work alongside him would be an ideal scenario, but whether Mike Ashley is considering bringing an extra body into the fold is highly unlikely.