Newcastle have confirmed that manager Rafa Benitez will not be signing a new contract and will leave the club when his contract expires on June 30.
The news – that Newcastle fans will have been dreading – arrived on the official Newcastle Twitter page on Monday afternoon.
In the full statement, Newcastle also confirmed that backroom staff members Paco de Míguel Moreno, Antonio Gómez Pérez and Mikel Antia would also leave the club.
It is with disappointment that we announce manager Rafael Benítez will leave Newcastle United upon the expiry of his contract on 30th June 2019.
Full club statement: https://t.co/IscVOvLxGD #NUFC pic.twitter.com/DWeBkpRubP
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) June 24, 2019
The news garnered reaction from major football journalists in the UK, including Henry Winter, chief football writer of the Times, who said it was a “hugely damaging loss” to Newcastle.
Hugely damaging loss to #nufc. Rafa Benitez over-achieved with such limited resources. Mike Ashley lets Newcastle fans down again. Club need Ashley leaving, not Benitez. pic.twitter.com/XaC4jLhfIa
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 24, 2019
Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie said he was “shocked” and said that keeping hold of Benitez was more important than the takeover. He said the club had “failed” and that Benitez was “too big a manager for Newcastle under its current guise”.
Honestly thought the two would somehow find a resolution, so I’m shocked this has come today. Forget takeovers, keeping Rafa Benitez was the most important thing for NUFC and they’ve failed. Sadly the Spaniard has proved to be too big a manager for NUFC under its current guise.
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) June 24, 2019
The Times’ George Caulkin said Benitez had been “brilliant” at Newcastle and that he gave fans hope “when they had none”. He accused the club of lacking ambition.
Benitez has been brilliant for Newcastle. He gave supporters hope and pride at a moment when they had none & they responded in kind. The sad thing is that he recognised things in the club which this regime simply won’t; potential, ambition, possibility.
— George Caulkin (@GeorgeCaulkin) June 24, 2019
Mark Douglas from the Chronicle dubbed the news “utterly, utterly depressing” and added, “That he has left tells you a lot about what he’s left behind”.
Utterly, utterly depressing and an(other) indictment of #nufc in the Mike Ashley era.
Rafa Benitez was a lifeline for the club: ambitious, urging them to improve and strive. That he has left tells you a lot about what he's left behind.
— Mark Douglas (@MsiDouglas) June 24, 2019
OPINION
This might have been the expected outcome but it was still a shock when it was announced. With the Benitez contract set to expire on June 30, the statement came out of the blue but obviously marks a complete breakdown in talks. It seemingly came down to control over transfers and Mike Ashley was unwilling to give his manager what he wanted. Benitez is still manager for the rest of this week and the Lee Bowyer situation at Charlton has proved strange things can happen in football, but this is almost certainly the end of an era at Newcastle. The reactions from journalists to the news mirrors what the fans are thinking but the big question is what happens next. Jose Mourinho has been linked if the BZG takeover goes through and he would be the sort of name that would placate Newcastle fans. However, with pre-season set to start on July 4, no manager and no senior players signed, this is quickly turning into a terrible summer for the club.