A lot of Newcastle United fans have responded to a report from Craig Hope that claims Rafael Benitez has a £20m release clause in his contract with Dalian Yifang.
If activated it would make him the most expensive manager in the world.
Would you be gutted if Benitez took over another Premier League club?
Yes, as we let him slip away
No, he followed the money
The news has received a mixed reaction from these Newcastle fans.
Exclusive: Premier League clubs wishing to bring Rafa Benitez back from China would have to pay a world-record buyout for a manager in excess of £20m https://t.co/kOi9aBOvcY #whufc #afc #nufc
— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) December 3, 2019
Ashley would pay £40m
— NUFC 1980-1994 (@NUFC_1980_1994) December 3, 2019
Worth every penny if you treat him with the respect he deserves
— J (@As_it_is10) December 3, 2019
Half the price of Joelinton???
Bargain Benitez.
— Rafa Facts (@FactsRafa) December 3, 2019
Bring him back please
— lordspiceman (@toon7777) December 4, 2019
Peanuts. Worth every single penny of it…
— Richard Johnson (@RSJ1975) December 3, 2019
Some Toon fans think that this means he will not be returning to the Premier League any time soon.
Thank god, I don’t think I could handle seeing Rafa back in the PL against Newcastle
— Vinay Kanani (@VinayK1991) December 3, 2019
Good because if we cant have him then no one else will! Haha
— Jay Ashun (@JKOversion1) December 3, 2019
What do we think?
Clubs like Everton and West Ham would happily pay £20m for a player – so why wouldn’t they pay that for a manager who has won the UEFA Champions League and 11 other trophies?
Both West Ham and Everton are seemingly considering making a managerial change and paying £20m to get a world-class manager should not even be a decision.
West Ham, if they decide to sack Manuel Pellegrini, will have a better chance to take Benitez than Everton would because of the Spaniard’s links to Liverpool.
However, the Hammers will probably baulk at the fee and go for a cheaper short-term option rather than a manager who could actually improve their club in the long-term.
Benitez could transform a club like West Ham, but his release clause is likely to put off the West Ham board, and that will please many on Tyneside – who do not want to see their former boss back in the top-flight managing a rival.