JOSE MOURINHO has been tipped to replace Eddie Howe at Newcastle by former Toon boss Sam Allardyce.
The Special One is on the hunt for his next job after being sacked by Roma in January.
Mourinho has been linked with taking a job in Saudi Arabia, having met one of their top chiefs last week while watching Anthony Joshua’s boxing win over Francis Ngannou.
But he is reportedly holding out for another big club in Europe.
And Newcastle have been tipped to make a move this summer after a disappointing season with Howe.
The ex-Bournemouth chief led Toon to Champions League football last season.
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But they crashed out of Europe’s elite competition at the group stage.
And Newcastle are currently in 10th place in the league, 16 points off the top four.
Howe doesn’t even have a domestic trophy left to play for after his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City on Saturday.
And Allardyce believes the Newcastle job is Mourinho’s if he — and the club’s Saudi owners — want it to be.
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Appearing on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Allardyce discussed a potential Prem return for Mourinho.
He has already managed Chelsea, Man United and Tottenham.
But a move to Newcastle could be just what he desires, as he holds a “special little place” for them.
Mourinho cut his teeth in football working as assistant to Newcastle legend Sir Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona.
And to this day, the Special One honours his former gaffer any time he pays a trip to the North East.
Speaking alongside fellow host Natalie Pike and guest Lee Clark, Allardyce said: “Who knows with Jose, if he wants it and they want to give it to him, he’ll be there next season.”
Former Al-Ittihad boss Clark, who also played for Huddersfield and Birmingham, added: “He has a little special place for Newcastle, doesn’t he, because of Sir Bobby Robson.
“He hasn’t been that successful going to St James’ Park with any of his teams.
‘But when the bus pulls out he always gets it to stop at the Bobby Robson statue and gets off the bus.
“He calls himself the ‘little Magpie’.”
Mourinho has made no secret of his admiration for Sir Bobby, previously saying: “I think the most important thing I took from him is the person that he was.
“I take much more from that beautiful human being that one day we lost a match and I wasn’t happy at all and he was telling me, ‘If you think of the happiness in the opposite dressing room, you are not so sad.’ This is him.
“When you spend every day with him for two, four, six years, you get a lot from that gentleman.
“He had something that belongs to the big ones, which is being humble, natural, making people enjoy to be with you and not being scared of what you represent or who you are.
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“That was a beautiful thing with him. He was such an amazing person. Of course, his career speaks for itself.
“I don’t need to say what he did, what he achieved, but, as a person, I felt very privileged.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
