OPINION
After a spectacular second-half of the season which has seen them break into the Premier League top-ten, Newcastle United will now look to build a squad that can challenge for a European place next term.
However, before any of that can happen, the Magpies need to secure the future of manager Rafa Benitez, who has just one year left on his current deal this summer.
According to the Mirror, Benitez is demanding written assurances from the club over transfer funds, with the Spaniard feeling that the club reneged on a verbal agreement made last summer that promised him £70million.
The newspaper report that Benitez wants to remain on Tyneside but has informed the club he cannot keep producing miracles on a tight budget, and wants things to change so he can gain more control over their dealings.
The club are said to have tabled an offer for him to extend his contract, but Benitez is waiting on his demands to be met before signing as talks continue this week.
That verbal agreement made last year pledged £70million in funds over the next three windows, with Newcastle actually spending just under £40million in the two since.
The Magpies have also received around £17million from sales, and that puts their net spend at around £23million in those two windows.
Technically that means that Benitez should have £47million to spend this summer on his targets, and the club must make sure that he is given the funds that he requires.
Benitez quite clearly loves the club and loves his job, but he is also obviously frustrated by the conditions he is being forced to operate under, and that must change.
If it does not, then he will have no reason not to walk away, and Newcastle would be losing the best thing to happen to them in recent memory.
Written assurances, more control, more money. Whatever Benitez wants, he must get.
Newcastle cannot afford to lose Benitez this summer, or even next summer, and for that to happen, he will need to be backed.
Owner Mike Ashley is going to have to swallow his pride and do so, or he will be left with egg on his face when Benitez walks out on the club he loves so much.