If Newcastle United keep hold of Rafa Benitez despite their relegation, it would be an absolutely massive coup.
The Champions League winner was widely expected to leave the North East club after failing to prevent them dropping to the second tier.
But, if reports are to be believed, Magpies owner Mike Ashley has met the Spaniard’s demands and is on the verge of securing his services for a stint in the Championship.
George Caulkin, The Times’ North East football reporter, has suggested an agreement is very close.
https://twitter.com/CaulkinTheTimes/status/732316720954781697
The Sun adds that negotiations between the club and their manager have been going as well as could have been expected, with the former Real Madrid and Liverpool boss poised to earn £5m a year (the same as his Premier League salary) by staying in charge.
Fans expressed their support for Benitez, who is free to leave the club after Sunderland’s late-season surge condemned Newcastle to Championship football, while the Newcastle Chronicle ran a front page appeal for the 56-year-old to remain on Tyneside.
Benitez is believed to have met with Ashley and with managing director Lee Charnley in the aftermath of the final game of the season, a 5-1 win over Tottenham which saw the visitors surrender second place.
If those in charge have been able to convince Benitez to stay on, it ought to have a knock-on effect on a squad which contains a number of players capable of returning them to the Premier League at the first attempt.
The fans, the local press and the city of Newcastle in general have all warmed to the manager immediately, but things are never simple in football. It is impressive that there is even a chance of Benitez staying, but supporters won’t be celebrating until he puts pen to paper.
