A FORMER Southwick FC player is interested in becoming the new Newcastle United manager.

The Magpies are considering replacing current manager Steve Bruce with a new man since the completion of the club takeover by PCP Capital Partners, a Saudi-backed consortium.

Bruce has been managing the club since his appointment in 2019, he has taken charge of 96 games in that time, winning 29 games, drawing 25 and losing the other 42, but has struggled to win over the fans.

Newcastle have been linked to many managers, including Albion's Graham Potter, former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and Leicester City's Brendan Rogers.

Ralf Rangnick, who spent time playing for Southwick FC during his time at Sussex University, is reportedly interested in becoming the new manager of Newcastle United.

He was in England studying for a degree in English and physical education with Stuttgart University, and as part of the course, he spent a year in Brighton, and after his arrival, he had a trial with Southwick and actually made some appearances for the club.

Reports had originally said that Newcastle wanted to make Rangnick their new sporting director, who would oversee the football side of the club.

However, according to Christian Falk, head of football at Sport Bild, a weekly sports magazine, Rangnick's big dream is to work in the Premier League and has previously tried to become the Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager.

The 63-year-old has managed German sides FC Schalke 04 and Red Bull Leipzig with good success. At Leipzig, he has been credited with building the club's impressive youth scouting system, something that would appeal to the club's new owners.

He is currently head of sports and development at Russian club FC Lokomotiv Moscow.

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Newcastle are currently in the relegation battle and are sitting in 19th place, having not won a single game yet this season.

The purchase of the club went through last week after the Saudi-backed consortium proved that the club would not be controlled by the Saudi state.

The deal to buy the club from Mike Ashley cost £305 million, ending his 14-year reign of the club.

The Magpies have also been linked with making some big money signings to strengthen their survival bid, including former Liverpool attacker Philippe Coutinho and Chelsea's Timo Werner.