Former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca has emerged as a contender for the Newcastle United managerial role if Steve Bruce is sacked.

Fonseca came close to being appointed as Tottenham’s head coach in the summer and remains keen on taking on a challenge in the Premier League.

The Portuguese is currently out of work and an interested club would not need to pay compensation in order to name him as their new boss.

Fonseca won three domestic doubles in his three seasons as manager of Shakhtar Donetsk between 2016 and 2019.

Fonseca lost his job at the Stadio Olimpico at the end of last season after guiding Roma to a seventh-placed finish in Serie A and he was replaced by Jose Mourinho.

Roma were also beaten in the semi-final of the Europa League by Manchester United.

Before his tenures at Shakhtar and Roma, the 48-year-old enjoyed managerial stints at Porto and Braga in his home country.

Current Roma boss Mourinho has distanced himself from the prospect of replacing Bruce, despite admitting he has an “emotional connection” with Newcastle as a result of his relationship with Sir Bobby Robson.

Bruce’s position at St James’ Park has come under increasing pressure following a poor run of results and the £305m Saudi-Arabia backed takeover of the club.

Prior to Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Tottenham, the Newcastle head coach hit out at the media over reports that he was to be relieved of his duties ahead of the Premier League clash.

The club are without a win in the top flight this season and sit second bottom in the table after three draws and five defeats.

In an interview with Sky Sports News earlier this month, Amanda Staveley, one of Newcastle’s new co-owners, would not be drawn on the question of whether Bruce will be dismissed.

She said: “We’re very supportive of Steve and we’ve spoken to him. What we’re going to do is not talk about managers or what big signings we can make.

“We’re going to do a review right through the football operations, of the commercial side as well, and come back and make some decisions.”

In a statement prior to Sunday’s game, Staveley said the club wanted to be “patient and considered” in their approach and that “change doesn’t happen overnight”.

Staveley is a chief executive at PCP Capital Partners, who are part of the investment group, along with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and RB Sports & Media, which completed the takeover of the club, ending Mike Ashley’s 14-year ownership of Newcastle.

Criticism has been levelled at the takeover due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, but Newcastle and the Premier League maintain that PIF operates independently from the Middle Eastern state.

Manquillo: We support Bruce without hesitation

Newcastle’s first-team squad back manager Bruce “without hesitation” amid ongoing uncertainty over his future, says Javier Manquillo.

“We are all professionals, Steve the first,” Manquillo told the Daily Telegraph.

“He knows that the situation is not easy and even more so now that there is talk of his dismissal, but we are not getting carried away by the rumours.

“He’s working normally, he wants to start to get back on track and we’ll see what happens in the end.

“I have read that there is talk of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, but our manager now is Steve Bruce and we support him without hesitation.”