Martin O'Neill has been sacked by Nottingham Forest - adding even more uncertainty over the future of Jack Colback.
The Newcastle United midfielder spent last season on loan at the City Ground turning out 38 times in the Championship scoring three goals.
O'Neill had seemed keen to keep the 29-year-old who with just 12 months remaining on his Magpies' contract, could be available for as little as £1million.
But after just five months, O'Neill has been shown the door with the Nottinghamshire Live reporting that his relationship with senior players had deteriorated. Former France international Sabri Lamouchi has now been appointed as his successor.
That would seem to a major question mark over any chance of Colback heading back to the East Midlands.
However, Rafa Benitez's departure from Newcastle may offer Colback another chance at St James' Park - something the former Sunderland man admitted had to happen if he was to have any chance of a future at Newcastle.
Back in March, he said: "It is not as though I am looking at it and thinking that I will go back to Newcastle and try to get back in the team. I am realistic enough to know that, if the current manager is still there, I am not going to be playing.
“I am not sat here thinking that things might change if he goes - the way I am looking at it is to think that I haven’t played for the club for two years and it is unlikely that I will do again."
