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Newcastle United’s expected takeover is seeing the club linked to several signings already.

The Italian media have brought the Magpies into the Dries Mertens drama, and there’s been further links around Europe, with surely more to follow.

It’s not just players being linked with the Premier League club, but managers too.

There’s already been claims of Max Allegri interest, and of course of a potential Rafa Benitez return to Newcastle.

On Thursday evening, French journalist Manu Lonjon has reported that Newcastle have Benitez as their ‘priority’ target and have offered him the managerial position with ‘extensive powers’.

Interestingly, it’s also stated there’d be a new Sports Director, who could be someone close to the Spaniard, or at least someone he would approve of.

(When Manu says ‘relations’ it’s in the French term, as in someone close, rather than an actual relative)

But, if true, why would this be coming from France?

Well, when he was coming to the end of his stay with Newcastle, Benitez reportedly instructed agents in France to look for Ligue 1 opportunities.

There’s a reasonable possibility that this information would therefore come from them.