Kinnear on a roll

The 61-year-old will extend his stay on Tyneside, which was due to expire at the end of October, until the end of November by agreeing a rolling deal.

Kinnear said: "I will be signing a new contract, it will be for another month. It's a monthly situation because I know they are in talks - who with, I have no idea. It is just like a rolling contract, one month after another month, and then take it from there."

He added: "During the week, there were three or four managers mentioned. Gerard Houllier - there were so many, I lost count. Sven-Goran Eriksson was in there as well.

"I don't know, really. There are so many consortiums. My missus rang me and said, 'There's a new one come in'.

"It's amazing the coverage they are getting because when I was down in London, you got a little bit about Newcastle.

"I have never seen a back-page lead in the Evening Standard, when you have got Chelsea, Arsenal and all the other clubs, until now."

Despite weeks of speculation over potential buyers and the managers they intend to recruit, the prospect of owner Mike Ashley selling the club within weeks seems remote.

Investment bankers Seymour Pierce, through their chairman Keith Harris, continue to talk to interested parties, although the current financial climate is proving something of an impediment.

The revelation that the Dubai-based Zabeel Investments group has ended its interest in Charlton inevitably led to a renewal of the link with Newcastle, although that is not understood to be based on fact.