Tony Pulis has turned down an approach from Newcastle United as he prepares to take the West Bromwich Albion job.

The Daily Mail says the former Stoke boss, who quit Crystal Palace on the eve of the season, is clear to work again from January 1 under his severance deal with the south London club.

He had been interested in the vacancy at Newcastle but told his advisers to end talks when they became worried that controversial club owner Mike Ashley and head scout Graham Carr would want a say in team selection.

Ashley and Carr control the recruitment of players at St James' Park, a situation Alan Pardew reluctantly accepted. But it was a factor in Pardew's decision to accept an offer to become Palace's new manager.

Pulis, 56, was not prepared to accept that.