Two updates arrive on Paulo Fonseca deal - Appointment not nearly as close as some suggested?

Last night, a host of journalists across Italy and Portugal were reporting that Paulo Fonseca was close to becoming the next Newcastle United boss.

Today, updates from Sky Sports' Keith Downie and The Mail's Craig Hope insist the 48-year-old's potential move to St James' Park is anything but a forgone conclusion.

Speaking on Sky Sports over lunchtime, North-East correspondent Keith Downie claims that no offer has come Fonseca's way as of yet, stating that the club haven't held any further talks with the former Roma boss since he met with the new owners on Wednesday.

Instead, he believes the Saudi consortium will speak to other candidates in the coming days before making a final decision:

The Mail's Craig Hope has also issued an update of his own, insisting that his odds of 1/3 to become the next NUFC boss should be treated with caution.

Here's what he's had to say prior to his appearance on talkSPORT:

Hope revealed yesterday that Belgium boss Roberto Martinez was also in the frame for the vacancy, while it's Sky Sports' understanding that Eddie Howe and Lucien Favre are being considered.