Shearer, though, has almost resigned himself to the fact he will not be installed as manager before the players return to the training ground next week.

That will mean Chris Hughton is asked to oversee the important early fitness work as he is the only key member of the

coaching staff which ended last season in the dugout with a contract at this stage.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s out-of-contract defender David Edgar is poised to join newly-promoted Burnley, even though he initially thought he was going to sign a new deal at St James’s Park and play in the Championship.

The versatile Edgar, unhappy with the terms of a new contract offer at St James’s Park, had held talks with another club moving up from the Championship, Birmingham City.

But with discussions at St Andrew’s having stalled, Burnley boss Owen Coyle has moved in for the 22-year-old, who is keen to play regular first-team football after three years as a peripheral member of the squad at Newcastle.

MARK Hughes is preparing to ditch at least a dozen members of last season’s Manchester City squad.

Hughes knows he is facing the acid test of his management skills next term following the decision of City’s Abu Dhabi-based backers to release substantial transfer funds.

Already Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz and Stuart Taylor have arrived at Eastlands for a combined cost of £30m.

Given City are also favourites to sign Carlos Tevez and have been heavily linked with Everton defender Joleon Lescott as well as Barcelona front-man Samuel Eto’o, it is clear the Blues’ spending is not complete yet.

Bulgarian Valeri Bojinov, who has endured two seasons ruined by injury since being signed by Sven-Goran Eriksson and is attracting interest from Wolfsburg.

City needed a bit of extra time to bring in Benjani from Portsmouth 18 months ago but the Zimbabwe star is now surplus to requirements, along with Darius Vassell, Ched Evans and Jo, who could be used as bait to get Lescott from Everton.