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How Newcastle can appoint Mauricio Pochettino without paying Tottenham compensation
Newcastle United can make Mauricio Pochettino their manager this season without having to pay Tottenham any compensation.
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A £300million Newcastle United takeover has been agreed, subject to Premier League approval, and former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the club's prospective new owners to be the Magpies next manager.
Pochettino was removed from his position at Tottenham last November after a disappointing run of performances saw the team sitting 14th in the table.
The Argentine was placed on garden leave by Spurs, who continue to pay his full £8.5m salary.
However, according to the Evening Standard, if Pochettino took another job within six months of being 'relieved of his duties' then Spurs would be due compensation.
The report claims this deadline expires on May 19, two days after the Premier League season was due to end.
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But as the league is currently suspended and with a June restart being considered, Newcastle's new owners could appoint Pochettino and have him in the dugout for the club's remaining nine games, without having to pay Tottenham compensation.
However, the report claims that Steve Bruce will likely remain in charge of Newcastle and finish out the season before a new manager is appointed in the summer.
Newcastle are currently 13th in the table and eight points above the relegation zone under the guidance of Bruce, who according to The Telegraph, fears he only has a few weeks left as Newcastle's manager.
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Spurs chairman Daniel Levy decided to end Pochettino’s five-year spell at the club less than six months after the Argentine oversaw a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Champions League final.
However, Levy has still approached Pochettino and his staff about taking a wage reduction to help the club ease the financial issues caused by the suspension of football.
And the north London club would likely be happy to have the Argentine and his backroom team removed from the club's wage bill, even if Spurs won't be due any compensation.
As for Newcastle, the prospective new owners are headed by Amanda Staveley, head of PCP Capital Partners, but the majority of the backing will come from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
Stavely's PCP Capital Partners will take a 10 per cent shareholding, with PIF acquiring an 80 per cent stake in the club if the deal goes through.
The remaining 10 per cent would then be taken by the Reuben Brothers, who have assets worth more than £18billion and also own Newcastle racecourse.
The Premier League is already carrying out the process of conducting checks to make sure the funding is in place and the principals pass the league's fit and proper person test.
And while this can take up to a month, although it is expected to be less, it has been ongoing for at least a week.