The Athletic's Chris Waugh has delivered some insight into some of the problems facing the new Newcastle United owners amid their search for a new manager.

What's the story?

Responding to a few fan questions for The Athletic, he said: "You're right, the league position makes it a lot more difficult, unfortunately, as does the state of the defence. I do think Fonseca would be very intriguing, but defensively there has to be a concern. As you rightly say, getting the appointment above the head coach in place is vital, too - although they don't just want to rush into that and they need to get that one right.

"I genuinely don't know which way they'll go yet, but Fonseca has had a few conversations now. The fact Newcastle are in the relegation zone really does make this far more complicated. It perhaps adds further doubts towards moving for certain managers because they have no track record of saving a club from this position."

Difficult dilemma for Newcastle

While the Magpies can call themselves the richest club in the world following their new takeover, one thing it doesn't change is the fact they are currently in the midst of the bottom three in the Premier League and in a genuine battle to stay up.

As Waugh says, the question is now whether the Tyneside club approach a manager who they feel confident of rebuilding the club in its current state and simply steadying the ship before passing on the baton in a couple of years, or whether they go for more of a gamble.

Fonseca, despite his managerial experience with the likes of AS Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk, has yet to cut his teeth in the Premier League, and appointing him mid-season with the team the way it is, would have its risks. He, like fellow target Antonio Conte, are used to competing at the top end of leagues, rather than towards the relegation zone.

So while all these new links to trophy-winning managers are exciting to say the least, there's surely a worry among supporters about getting this new manager appointment wrong.

Meanwhile, Craig Hope has delivered an update on Newcastle United manager target Paulo Fonseca...