Antonio Conte would need assurances of a 'big influence on recruitment' before agreeing to take over at Newcastle United, according to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder.

The lowdown

Incumbent manager Steve Bruce is expected to be sacked this week following the completion of the PIF takeover at St James' Park.

Conte is currently out of work after leaving Inter Milan by mutual consent back in May, a matter of weeks after they were confirmed as Serie A champions.

That was his fifth top-flight title as a manager, following on from his Juventus threepeat and 2016/17 Premier League success with Chelsea. In total, he has won nine trophies during his career in the dugout.

The latest

According to Ryder for Chronicle Live, Conte is 'open' to another crack at Premier League management and is keen to learn of the 'conditions involved at Newcastle United'.

The 'key element', though, is the degree of control he would have over incomings at the club. He 'has not always had full control' in his previous positions at Chelsea and Inter, so such assurances would be 'vital'.

'One possible snag' for Newcastle, or indeed any club interested in the 52-year-old, would be his preference to take charge at the beginning of a season.

Ryder added that Newcastle 'may have to persuade him to start work with a chunk of the campaign already gone'.

The verdict

Conte would be an almighty coup for Newcastle given his impressive CV, almost the polar opposite of Steve Bruce in terms of the ambition of the appointment, and Magpies fans would surely be beside themselves with excitement if he is named as Bruce's successor.

This would be very different to his previous roles, where titles have been a shorter-term target, but very few managers wouldn't be tempted by a project of this nature given the enormous wealth of the new owners on Tyneside.

In other news, this defender is expected to join the Magpies.