EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle looking at Man Utd man as Rafa Benitez contingency TEAMtalk understands Newcastle United are making contingency plans for life withoutRafa Benitez, if he decides not to prolong his stay with the club, and one name on their list is a Geordie. Our sources claim Michael Carrick is a emerging as a contender for the top job on Tyneside, should Benitez decide to walk away from the club in the summer. The Spaniard is out-of-contract this summer and owner Mike Ashley has agreed terms on a new contract, and he has told him he wants the deal signed within weeks, and not dragging on beyond the end of the season. Newcastle’s hierarchy, though, will not be caught on the hop and are looking at options, and host of big names are understood to have been canvassed with a lot of positive feedback. However, the chance to bring a hometown boy back to the club he grew up supporting is something they would seriously consider. Carrick, 37, is currently working under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United, having served under Jose Mourinho after he quit playing last year. Carrick took first team training at Old Trafford in December after Mourinho was sacked by the club. Carrick, who was assisting Mourinho, in October told The Times: “I don’t want to throw that out there and say I’d want to be United manager. “It would be amazing to be a manager, but I am not in a position to call that. “It’s not fair or respectful to be going down that route at this stage. It’s gold dust having Jose there to draw on what he’s doing and learn from him. “I’m really enjoying it. It’s a role that I never thought at this stage of my coaching career that I would get.” Wallsend-born Carrick hung up his boots at United following 12 years at Old Trafford which delivered 464 appearances, which included five Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. Get the latest personalised Magpies products on our new TEAMtalk Newcastle shop! The post EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle looking at Man Utd man as Rafa Benitez contingency appeared first on teamtalk.com.

TEAMtalk understands Newcastle United are making contingency plans for life withoutRafa Benitez,  if he decides not to prolong his stay with the club, and one name on their list is a Geordie.

Our sources claim Michael Carrick is a emerging as a contender for the top job on Tyneside, should Benitez decide to walk away from the club in the summer.

The Spaniard is out-of-contract this summer and owner Mike Ashley has agreed terms on a new contract, and he has told him he wants the deal signed within weeks, and not dragging on beyond the end of the season.

Newcastle’s hierarchy, though, will not be caught on the hop and are looking at options, and host of big names are understood to have been canvassed with a lot of positive feedback.

However, the chance to bring a hometown boy back to the club he grew up supporting is something they would seriously consider.

Carrick, 37, is currently working under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United, having served under Jose Mourinho after he quit playing last year.

Carrick took first team training at Old Trafford in December after Mourinho was sacked by the club.

Carrick, who was assisting Mourinho, in October told The Times: “I don’t want to throw that out there and say I’d want to be United manager.

“It would be amazing to be a manager, but I am not in a position to call that.

“It’s not fair or respectful to be going down that route at this stage. It’s gold dust having Jose there to draw on what he’s doing and learn from him.

“I’m really enjoying it. It’s a role that I never thought at this stage of my coaching career that I would get.”

Wallsend-born Carrick hung up his boots at United following 12 years  at Old Trafford which delivered 464 appearances, which included five Premier League titles and a Champions League crown.

Get the latest personalised Magpies products on our new TEAMtalk Newcastle shop!

 

The post EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle looking at Man Utd man as Rafa Benitez contingency appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Matthew Briggs