OPINION
Newcastle United bosses have been keen to tie down manager Rafa Benitez to a new contract for a long while now, but a total lack of understanding between the two sides over the summer saw discussions take a back seat as the Spaniard wrestled with transfers.
Benitez has always insisted that he would only sign a new contract if the owners backed him off the pitch as well as on it, with improvements planned for the academy and recruitment departments.
The stand-off has never been about money for Benitez, who merely wants to be on the same page as those above him, which is something that has unfortunately eluded him so far at St. James’ Park.
In the latest update on the situation, Chronicle journalist Chris Waugh has claimed in a Q&A that managing director Lee Charnley intends to return to contract negotiations with Benitez soon.
Waugh said (13:09): “The dust is still settling after the transfer window but there is an intention to revisit this from Lee Charnley. Charnley knows how important it is to retain Rafa but Benitez wants certain assurances. We aren’t talking salary here – in fact that is probably at the bottom of Rafa’s list.
“It’s stuff like the Academy, quality control on recruitment and ensuring players who do go out on loan go to the right club – not just who will take them.
“For example the top clubs in Italy have a loan manager and it’s something that Benitez is open to bringing on board at Newcastle.”
What is clear is that Benitez’s parameters for him signing a new deal has not changed, and being a manager of such principle, they will never change.
As Waugh says, Benitez does not care about the money – all he wants are assurances on academy and recruitment improvements.
The ridiculous thing is that such assurances will not cost the club much money at all, not when compared to buying established players in the transfer market.
And, considering the fact that the club actually made a net profit of around £20million in the summer window, providing such guarantees should not be a problem at all.
Charnley must therefore come armed with some concessions under his belt if he wants to get Benitez to commit his future to the club.
If he fails to do so then there is no point him even trying to get the Spaniard to sign on for longer, with Benitez clearly not budging on his demands.
And that will inevitably end with Benitez walking away from the club at the end of the season – an outcome which literally no one wants to see – and leave Charnley facing the wrath of the whole of the city of Newcastle.
