CHRIS Hughton will resume his temporary position in charge of Newcastle if the four consortia currently involved in due diligence do not agree to the appointment of Alan Shearer and a deal for the club is not concluded next week.

Hughton is the only senior coach still on Newcastle’s pay roll and he will be asked to take charge of pre-season preparations if the current status quo continues to next weekend.

Mike Ashley is reluctant to appoint a permanent manager while the process of selling the club remains ongoing, but with the first-team squad due to start pre-season training on July 1, the Magpies owner accepts someone will have to be in charge by the end of next week.

That could be Shearer, with further talks aimed at installing the club’s all-time record scorer planned for the weekend.

The four consortia currently involved in the due diligence process are all understood to be in favour of Shearer’s appointment, but the terms of any contract are still to be agreed, and that could lead to problems.

Shearer made a number of specific demands when he discussed his position with Ashley in the immediate aftermath of last season’s relegation, and it is far from clear whether all four consortia would be willing to support his requirements.

If one or more refuse to agree to his demands, Newcastle’s managerial position will remain unfilled until a takeover is complete.

That would lead to a vacuum that Ashley would ask Hughton to fill on a temporary basis.

The former Tottenham assistant has spent two unsuccessful spells in temporary charge of the Magpies, losing three games out of three after the departure of Kevin Keegan last September and overseeing a run of one win from six matches prior to Shearer’s arrival in April.

Hughton would hardly be a popular appointment among Newcastle supporters, but the club cannot afford to waste valuable training time as they prepare for life in the Championship.

The Magpies will kick off their first campaign in the second tier for 17 years with a game at West Brom on August 8, and goalkeeper Steve Harper expects them to be a prized scalp as they attempt to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

“The big club going down will be a cup final for everybody,”

said Harper. “Everywhere we go, we have to make sure we are up for it.

“It’s going to be a massive challenge. Everybody I have spoken to says how tough it is.

You have two games a week and everybody is fighting to get into the Premier League.

“We can’t reflect on last season now – that’s gone. It’s done, and it was done as soon as the final whistle went at Aston Villa.

“At Villa Park it was a dreadful situation. But it’s done now and we have to look onwards and upwards.”

■ Newcastle have confirmed a pre-season friendly with Scottish Premier League side Dundee United.

The Magpies will be the guests when Dundee United kick off their centenary season celebrations at Tannadice Park on Sunday, August 2 (kick-off 3pm).

Newcastle have already confirmed pre-season dates at Darlington (July 18) and Huddersfield (July 21), as well as a home friendly against Leeds United (July 29).

Ticket details will be announced shortly.