Newcastle are considering Steve Bruce as a possible replacement for Rafael Benitez as they prepare to head off to China for the Premier League Asia Trophy. PA understands the 59-year-old Sheffield Wednesday boss is one of a series of potential candidates to have been identified as managing director Lee Charnley looks to fill the gap left by the Spaniard. The club has been without a manager since Benitez’s contract expired on June 30 and a series of big names, including Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Patrick Vieira and Steven Gerrard, have distanced themselves from the vacancy. Week 2⃣ of pre-season ✔️ #NUFC pic.twitter.com/9ZgWtE33ak — Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) July 9, 2019 With the squad due to fly out to the Far East on Saturday to take part in the tournament – with Premier League champions Manchester City, Wolves and West Ham – bookmakers’ odds on Bruce taking over tumbled dramatically on Tuesday. Bruce, who was linked with Newcastle in 2015, was appointed by the Owls in February four months after parting company with Aston Villa and guided the club to a 12th-place finish in the Sky Bet Championship. The Corbridge-born former Manchester United defender is a Geordie who has managed arch-rivals Sunderland as well as Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Wigan, Crystal Palace, Birmingham and Hull with varying degrees of success. Steve Bruce, who managed Sunderland from 2009-11, is now being linked with the vacant Newcastle job (Clint Hughes/PA) Newcastle’s search for a new boss has been complicated by the ongoing takeover process with owner Mike Ashley having been engaged in talks with a series of potential buyers, including the Dubai-based Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for weeks. However, no deal is yet in place and the fact that Charnley has been instructed to find a manager suggests that the situation is unlikely to change in the short term. Whoever does accept the task of stepping into Benitez’s shoes will face a major task to calm yet more stormy waters on Tyneside following another summer of turmoil. Steve Bruce got Hull promoted to the Premier League twice and into an FA Cup final during his reign (Nick Potts/PA) The Spaniard’s departure has sparked further talk of rebellion among sections of a fanbase which has been at war with Ashley for much of his time at the helm, but there has been upheaval too in the squad. Leicester’s £30million swoop for Ayoze Perez last week has seen the club’s leading scorer follow the runner-up, Salomon Rondon, who has returned to parent club West Brom, with midfielder Mohamed Diame and loan signings Kenedy and Antonio Barreca having already left. Manchester United are expected to formalise their interest in midfielder Sean Longstaff in the coming days, while Isaac Hayden has made no secret of his desire to quit St James’ Park for family reasons. View this post on Instagram 🔙 Fabian Schär, Martin Dúbravka and Freddie Woodman arrived back at United’s training ground today after representing their respective national teams over the summer. Welcome back, lads! 👋 #NUFC A post shared by Newcastle United FC (@nufc) on Jul 8, 2019 at 5: 17am PDT That would leave the new manager without as much as half of what might be considered his strongest team. With the first game of the new season – the Magpies entertain Arsenal on August 11 – a little more than a month away, there is serious rebuilding work to do before the transfer window closes if the club is to avoid another tooth-and-nail scrap for top-flight survival. Just how much control a new manager would have over that process under Ashley’s regime could dictate who the club is able to recruit. Topics Mike Ashley, Steve Bruce, Premier League Hull bring in Phelan as Bruce’s assistant Newcastle remain up for sale despite Mike Ashley calling time on current talks Newcastle will not overspend to remain in the Premier League, insists Charnley Rafael Benitez outlines ambition to manage in Champions League Norwich extend Christoph Zimmermann stay South Africa head coach Baxter plays down favourites tag Goodwin feels ‘ready’ for St Mirren job a year after deciding not to pursue role Former Arsenal midfielder Edu becomes club’s first technical director Manchester United star expects to leave club in the next fortnight Monday’s big transfer rumours: Daniel Sturridge finds new club? Why Christian Eriksen wants to leave Tottenham – but is short of options for a move Why Arsenal and Crystal Palace’s valuations of Wilfried Zaha are BOTH right How VAR will be used in the Premier League in 2019/20 Quiz! Can you name Manchester City’s last 50 signings?