Newcastle United's new owners are keen to appoint a manager who boasts Premier League experience after Steve Bruce's exit was confirmed this morning, according to The Athletic journalist Chris Waugh.

The Magpies have made a winless start to the season and Bruce has departed the club by mutual consent.

Bruce had remained at the helm despite Newcastle's woeful form and the club's £305million takeover being completed earlier this month.

While speaking to Sky Sports, via the Sun, the 60-year-old had pleaded for the Tyneside outfit's new owners to give clarity over his position.

Since the new hierarchy moved into St James' Park, a host of big-names such as Antonio Conte, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have been linked with the job which has just been vacated.

But latest reports suggest Newcastle's shortlist has been whittled down to three candidates - Eddie Howe, Lucien Favre and Paulo Fonseca - who are undergoing final interviews after impressing in initial talks last week.

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What has Chris Waugh said about the situation?

Waugh has claimed that Newcastle's new owners would prefer to start the rebuilding process by appointing a boss who has managed in the Premier League before.

However, he believes they would not hesitate in handing the job to someone who has otherwise managed in Spain, Italy, Germany or France's top flight.

Waugh told GIVEMESPORT: "Ideally, what they would like is someone who has some experience.

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"They don't want a novice manager coming in. They want them to have ideally managed in the Premier League, but certainly in one of Europe's big five leagues.

"They really want someone who will be a club builder."

What do we know about the leading candidates?

Of the trio still in the running to succeed Bruce, only Howe boasts Premier League experience having bossed Bournemouth 190 times in the top flight.

The 43-year-old, who boasts a 42 per cent win rate during his time in management, has been without a club since leaving the Cherries last year and came close to being appointed as Celtic's new chief before talks broke down in the summer.

While he has not managed in England before, Fonseca has been in charge of big names in the Portuguese, Ukrainian and Italian top flight.

The 48-year-old held talks over the Tottenham Hotspur vacancy in the summer before the north Londoners eventually appointed Nuno Espirito Santo.

Favre has been at the helm at the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Nice and Borussia Monchengladbach and been in the dugout 795 times.

The Swiss rejected the chance to manage in the Premier League for the first time when Crystal Palace came calling in June.