Al-Gharafa manager Slavisa Jokanovic is known to be interested in taking the Newcastle United job, according to the Northern Echo.
The newspaper claims that the former Fulham and Watford manager is open to taking the reins at St James’ Park after Rafael Benitez’s departure was announced on Monday.
Jokanovic is a three-time league champion, twice with Partizan Belgrade and once with Muangthong United, while he has tasted promotion to the Premier League with both his former English teams.
However, the Serbian was only appointed manager of his current club just over a month ago, so it would be a surprise if he made the switch to Tyneside.
OPINION
You wonder whether the Northern Echo are yet to realise that Jokanovic has already found work this summer. He’s obviously made the decision to go over to Qatar and is presumably on a pretty hefty salary over there, so it would be a shock if he decided to walk out on that job so soon after taking it. Jokanovic is a serial winner and did a tremendous job for both Watford and Fulham, but his only shot at the Premier League ended disastrously at Craven Cottage. However, given how poorly the team continued to perform under Claudio Ranieri and Scott Parker after his departure, you wonder whether he was given the boot rather quickly. Still, there are likely superior contenders out there for the Newcastle job. Besides, Mike Ashley is highly unlikely to go out and spend the compensation required to snare Jokanovic from Al-Gharafa. So this one would appear to be a non-starter at present.
