Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has instructed managing director Lee Charnley to agree a new deal with manager Rafael Benitez by the start of July, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper claim that Ashley has told Charnley to secure the Spaniard’s future and wants an agreement in place by the start of pre-season.
The Chronicle report that Benitez is on £4million-per-year – equivalent to £77,000-a-week – and is not looking for a major pay rise or anything other than the market rate for a manager of his experience and track record.
OPINION
Ashley is not especially hands on when it comes to Newcastle, leaving Charnley to deal with the day-to-day running of the club. Nevertheless, the Sports Direct tycoon is clearly the power behind the throne, and no major deal happens without either his say-so, or a firm indication of the budget available. Newcastle’s recent accounts for year ending June 2017 demonstrate the club gambled on instant promotion back to the Premier League, as Ashley’s instinct to back Benitez paid off handsomely. What frustrates United fans so much is that the club take an eternity to get deals done, even for a manager of immense experience and pedigree who wants to stay at the club. While the Spaniard is unlikely to be willing to sign a contract on the same terms as the one he penned in 2016, it is difficult for Ashley and the Newcastle board to argue his work does not merit a pay rise. Newcastle must prioritise tying down Rafa and then getting to work on their summer transfer business.
