The Dutchman was on hand to see Viduka help Newcastle to a 3-0 win over Reading on Saturday and when the pair meet for their first face-to-face discussion, it should be an upbeat chat.

That is not to say that Viduka will pledge to continue in the green and gold, just that he is in a positive frame of mind and using words like ‘prolong’ and ‘career’ in the same sentence.

Viduka told Newcastle's Journal newspaper: “I’m really enjoying my football at the moment, very much so in fact.

“I’ve not always enjoyed my football, if I’m honest. It is like every job, some days it’s good, some days it’s not. The good times and the bad times are magnified in football, if anything.

"It’s great when things are going well, but it can be very tough when things are bad. There have been periods in my career when I haven’t been happy.

“I’m thrilled with the way things are going under Kevin Keegan and I’m thoroughly enjoying my football again.

“Kevin is a huge part of why I’m happy,” said Viduka. “He’s the one who is pulling the strings, isn’t he?

“I think over the last few weeks, the way we have played and the style we have played as a team has been different because of him.

“It’s a good thing to be part of. I believe football should be played a certain way and I agree with the manager’s philosophy.

“I don’t know how many years I’ve got left as a player, as many as possible. If I can be involved in a team like this, it would be great to be playing for as long as I possibly can.

“It’s a really positive club at the moment and it’s exciting to be a part of that.

“You know, I’ve got those two up there with me (Michael Owen and Obi Martins) and I hope they can prolong my career. I’m very excited about the prospect, that’s for sure.”