Newcastle to target McClaren in summer after extending Carver's spell in charge

Carver will remain in charge of the Magpies for the final 16 games of the campaign, despite failing to win any of his four matches as caretaker in the wake of Alan Pardew’s departure for Crystal Palace.

Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley, who is close to completing the £4m capture of Dele Alli, with the highly-rated midfielder set to be loaned back to MK Dons until the summer, confirmed Carver’s appointment yesterday.

The former assistant, who initially joined Newcastle’s backroom staff as an academy coach under Kevin Keegan, has been charged with the task of securing a top-ten finish, and promised he will be considered for a permanent position if he impresses over the course of the next four months.

However, the Newcastle board’s determination to reassess their options at the end of the season underlines a desire to return to some of the candidates who have proved impossible to recruit this month.

In particular, the Magpies hierarchy will make a strong push for McClaren, who has proved unwilling to walk out on his current employers, Derby County, while they are embroiled in a Championship promotion campaign.

There has been no formal approach to McClaren this month, but an informal sounding out of the former England and Middlesbrough manager’s associates is understood to have been sufficient to persuade Charnley and Graham Carr that they would have to wait until the summer to land the 53-year-old.

Both Charnley and Carr are admirers of McClaren’s coaching work while he was Sir Alex Ferguson’s number two at Manchester United, as well as his managerial achievements with Middlesbrough, who he led to a Carling Cup victory and UEFA Cup final, and FC Twente, who he guided to the Dutch Eredivisie title.

McClaren has previously spoken privately of his potential interest in the Newcastle job, but his future could well be dependent on how Derby fare in the next four months. If the Rams win promotion, Newcastle could struggle to persuade the Yorkshireman to leave the iPro Stadium without a hefty financial package.

When asked whether he would consider moving to St James’ Park at the start of the month, McClaren said: “I have a job to do here. I don’t want to let people down here. You’ve got to show loyalty.

“Derby have given me a great opportunity, and we have asked players to commit to long contracts to take Derby forward, and the staff as well. We are building here, and I want to see the job through.”

Newcastle’s recruitment team will attempt to interview Ajax boss Frank de Boer as well this summer, with the Dutchman also having ruled out changing clubs halfway through a campaign.

De Boer has admitted a desire to manage in the Premier League, although if he was to indicate a willingness to leave Ajax, it is unlikely that Newcastle would be the only club seeking his services.

St Etienne boss Christophe Galtier is another candidate who could potentially be available for the start of next season, while former Lyon boss Remi Garde, who was interviewed in London earlier this month, expressed a reluctance to take over at the halfway stage of the current campaign.

Garde is seeking the opportunity to start afresh with a new group of players at the start of pre-season training, although his desire to bring a large backroom staff across the Channel with him could jeopardise his chances of taking over at St James’.

Charnley is likely to recommend that Carver remains on the backroom staff no matter what happens in the remainder of the season, having been impressed with the 50-year-old’s conduct during his spell in caretaker charge.

“At the beginning of this process it was my desire and intention to appoint an individual to the position of head coach who would be available to start immediately,” said Charnley. “Having now explored at some length the options available to us at this time, the decision has been taken to defer the appointment of a permanent head coach until the end of the season.

“The head coach will be a long-term appointment that will play a major role in shaping the future on-field progression of Newcastle United and it is vitally important that we get the right individual.

“John has a long history with the club and has the full support of the board. Our goal for the season of a minimum top-ten finish remains unchanged, and we are confident that John, supported by the backroom staff, will be able to deliver this.”

A number of Newcastle’s senior players have spoken positively about the prospect of Carver remaining in charge for the second half of the season, but the former number two will have to guard against any complacency and lack of motivation given that his own position will be reassessed come May.

“This is a proud day for me,” he said. “I have worked with, and learnt from, the best manager this football club has had in Sir Bobby Robson. I know what this club means to this city and its people. I believe in my players and the staff I have around me.

“I am confident we can deliver exciting, successful football and look forward with relish to my role as head coach of this great football club.”

Newcastle are hoping to complete a £4m deal, which could potentially rise higher with add ons, for Alli before next Monday’s transfer deadline, and have agreed to a request to loan the 18-year-old back to MK Dons.

The Magpies agreed a similar arrangement with Nottingham Forest in the summer in order to sign Karl Darlow and Jamaal Lascelles.

Alli, an England Under-19 international, has been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, but Newcastle are increasingly confident of tying up a deal in the next few days.