Paulo Fonseca claims he almost became Newcastle United manager following the takeover in October. The new regime allowed Steve Bruce to manage his 1000th game against Tottenham Hotspur before dismissing the unpopular boss and starting a lengthy process to appoint their own man.
Former Roma boss Fonseca was the bookies’ favourite to succeed Bruce at one point and reportedly impressed Amanda Staveley when interviewed on Zoom. However, the final decision needed PIF representative Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s seal of approval and Eddie Howe eventually landed the job.
That decision has proven to be a masterstroke as the Magpies have catapulted up the table to all but secure Premier League survival for next season. Howe is considered a contender for manager of the year after guiding Newcastle to a dramatic turnaround since his arrival. Now, Fonseca - who has recently fled Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian invasion - says he was ‘close’ to joining the Saudi-backed revolution.
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“Today in England there are the best teams and the best football in the world,” he told Il Romanista. “At the beginning of the season I was very close to Tottenham but that did not materialise, as well as with Newcastle.
"Let’s see in the future, I think it will happen. Everyone would love to work in England to experience the fantastic atmosphere. It’s something you can’t find in another country.”
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