JOHN CARVER expects to be in charge for Newcastle United’s return to Premier League action at Hull City as the search for a new head coach looks set to carry on until the summer.

After failing to win any of his opening four matches as caretaker boss, Carver would like to think he can end that run against the struggling Tigers or at Stoke the following week, which is followed by a midweek trip to face Alan Pardew’s rejuvenated Crystal Palace.

It will be a month on Wednesday since Pardew took charge of his final Newcastle game, a 3-2 victory over Everton at St James’ Park which was immediately followed by talk of his return to Selhurst Park.

Despite managing director Lee Charnley’s ongoing work behind the scenes to appoint Pardew’s successor, nothing has materialised and the likelihood of his a man being found this week has reduced even if it has not completely been written off.

That has led to Carver, who has sought clarification about the situation having taken the squad for a warm weather training camp to Dubai last week, having to work on the basis that he will be still in charge for the trip to the KC Stadium.

He still holds out hope that he will be given the role full-time, although the chances of the Tyneside-born coach having his wish granted beyond this season are receding.

Former Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren remains firmly in Charnley’s thinking, although he is focused on delivering Derby to promotion. Mainz’s Thomas Tuchel, ex-Swansea manager Michael Laudrup, Frenchman Remi Garde and Ajax’s Frank de Boer all continue to be considered too.

The uncertainty surrounding the head coach position is not ideal, particularly when the transfer window will close just a few days after next week’s trip to Hull.

Despite Charnley’s comments last week suggesting there would be no major ins or outs before the February 2 deadline, there has still been an approach from China for striker Papiss Cisse.

The Senegal international is on Africa Cup of Nations duty this month but is understood to have turned down the chance of a lucrative £150,000-a-week to join Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Shanghai SIPG.

Shanghai’s interest was reported in The Northern Echo last week, but it has since emerged that Cisse wants to remain on Tyneside. There has also been interest in him from the Middle East and Russia, while Swansea could target him if Bafetimbi Gomis leaves Crystal Palace.

Chief scout Graham Carr is recommending players to Charnley to consider deals for, although summer signings are much more likely even if a new head coach was suddenly appointed this week.

Carr, who has monitored teams across Europe for new signings, has been looking at Portuguese clubs and reports in Lisbon claim he is interested in Sporting’s Andre Carrillo.

The Peruvian winger, 23, is rated at more than £10m but a deal is complicated by the fact that Sporting only own 50 per cent of his playing rights. He has previously caught the eye of West Brom.

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson revealed last week that he was aware of Newcastle interest in highly-rated midfielder Dele Alli.