OPINION
Newcastle United fans will surely be thrilled to know that despite being offered a whopping £160,000-a-week from overseas, Rafa Benitez has no interest in heading to either Saudi Arabia or China at the end of the season.
Instead, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has claimed that Benitez’s priority is to stay put at St James’ Park and agree a new deal with the Magpies as his existing agreement is due to expire in a matter of weeks.
Benitez has been one of the best things to happen at the Tyneside club during Mike Ashley’s ownership and losing him at the end of his deal could mean that relegation is on the cards for whoever takes the reigns from the ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid boss.
However it seems as though Benitez wants to stay at Newcastle, first and foremost, because he wants to stay put in the Premier League.
“The priority is to stay at Newcastle,” Balague said via his YouTube channel.
“The kind of offers that he got, which are like €10million net a year, come from Saudi Arabia and from China which I don’t think are the places he should go next.
“The battle is to stay at Newcastle, if he gets enough support.
“If he doesn’t stay at Newcastle I think the Premier League will be the competition he would like to stay in. I think that will be the target.
“Another matter is which club will actually go for him. I don’t believe there’s been offers yet in that department. But that’s where it all stands – he wants to stay in the Premier League.
“The Premier League is his big target.”
If Benitez is willing to turn down such lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and China then there is no way that Benitez will be leaving St James’ Park.
Is there a single other team in the Premier League that would be able to hire Benitez, or want to hire him? Teams that are similar to Newcastle are probably your Evertons or your West Hams, but they are unlikely to change managers in the summer.
Plus it’s not like Benitez would take a step down to a club with less resources and a smaller fanbase than Newcastle and it’s not likely that a top-six club would want him if they change their manager.
Ashley would be crazy to not want the man who has re-established Newcastle in the Premier League to stay put while the Spaniard’s desire to stay can only mean that he will eventually accept whatever is on the table for him.
It’s unlikely that he will be offered worse terms than what he is already on and the £20million purchase of Miguel Almiron in January suggests that Ashley might loosen up some of his funds for Benitez to strengthen the squad.
Judging by Balague’s update on Benitez, it will be hard to see him managing anyone else except for a team in black and white stripes next season, and the Toon Army is surely delighted to know that.