Newcastle United managing director Lee Charnley says the club are prepared to wait until the summer before appointing a new manager.
The Magpies lost Alan Pardew to Crystal Palace earlier this month which placed former assistant John Carver in charge in an interim role.
Newcastle have been linked with a number of candidates for the St James' Park job, including former Lyon boss Remi Garde, current Ajax manager Frank de Boer, Saint-Etienne's Christophe Galtier, Derby County's promotion-chasing gaffer Steve McClaren and Thomas Tuchel formerly of Mainz, but Charnley says they will remain patient.
"We've got a number of options: clearly my preference is to try and find someone to bring in now," he told the Chronicle.
"However, because it will be a long-term commitment, if I have to wait until the summer for what I believe is the right individual, then I would rather wait than actually take someone now who I think isn't the best fit.
"I'm not going to take someone who is free and available now if we have a better option and options by waiting until the end of the season.
"I know that won't be an entirely popular point of view, but for me that is the most sensible thing to do. It is about the medium to long term and ensuring we get the 'right one'."
Charnley added: "I hope that by the end of this week, I will have a better indication of where we sit.
"I'll know the really, really credible individuals who would be of real interest to us and from there, whether a decision can be made now or whether that decision can wait until the summer.
"There's a wide range of options. There are some people who genuinely can't move now, whether that be for personal reasons, contractual or a whole host - they can't come now.
"There are some that can, whether they are tied to other clubs, but have a compensation element involved or are out-of-work."
