Saudis agree to sack Bruce, but three managers NOT in the running to replace him - Report

Steve Bruce will be sacked 'in the next few days', according to The Mirror.

Neil Moxley's exclusive states that the club's new Saudi owners have already decided to axe the 60-year-old, with a 'collective agreement' reached that we need a 'fresh direction.'

As a result, Graeme Jones looks set to step up to a caretaker role for next Sunday's clash with Spurs as Amanda Staveley and Co step up search for a suitable Steve Bruce replacement.

The Mirror have stressed that Antonio Conte, Roberto Mancini and Zinedine Zidane are NOT in the running for the job, despite recent reports claiming they will be targeted.

Moxley says that links with the two Italians are 'wide of the mark', also stating that there's 'little appetite' to make moves for Zidane at this point.

That said, it's believed the new owners will be 'inundated with applications' over the coming days, with 'several approaches' already received.

For me, it's the right move for all parties to sack Steve Bruce before next weekend's first game of the Staveley/Saudi era.

Keeping him about when he knows he's a dead man walking wouldn't seem right - not to mention the fact fans are desperate to see him nowhere near the home dugout now new owners are in place.