If Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez signs a new contract at the club he could become one of the highest paid bosses in the country, according to The Chronicle.
The newspaper claims that the Magpies hierarchy are willing to offer the former Liverpool chief a less binding contract than the one he previously signed.
The deal would see him become an immensely high earner, and certainly one of the best paid managers in England outside of the Premier League’s top six clubs.
However, break clauses would be inserted in the contract meaning that the Spaniard would be able to walk away from the club without any harsh financial penalties. Mid-April has been earmarked for the latest batch of contract talks.
OPINION
There are a few interesting snippets of information here. The fact that Benitez would become one of the highest paid managers in the country is no surprise, he’s earned that over the course of his career and his time at Newcastle. However, it’s interesting that after all their stubbornness, the Newcastle hierarchy are now prepared to offer him a less stringent deal than they once were. This new proposal would mean that Benitez could walk away from the club at any time in the future without receiving the financial penalties that he would if he resigned now. With Mike Ashley in charge there’s always a possibility of the manager getting fed up and leaving, so it’s a bit of a shock that the Magpies decision makers have allowed the penalties to be removed from Benitez’s new contract. Overall, though, this is a positive thing because it increases the chances of Benitez staying at the club – in the short term at least.
