Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has moved to distance himself from speculation linking him with a move to China.
The Daily Mirror reported on Thursday that Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande are considering swooping for Benitez if their current manager Fabio Cannavaro takes the China job.
However, Benitez said it how it is in his pre match press conference on Friday, insisting he had received no approach and saying: “At the moment I can read like you, what is in the press,” as per journalist Lee Ryder’s personal Twitter account.
Rafa on a job in China and insists no approach: "At the moment I can read like you what is in the press." #nufc
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) March 29, 2019
OPINION
This is good news for Newcastle supporters. There is understandable concern surrounding Benitez’s future as we enter the final few months of his Magpies contract with no extension secured. So when reports emerge linking the Spaniard with other jobs it’s obviously worrying. However, the Guangzhou move would purely be motivated by financial gain, and that doesn’t seem to be something that guides Benitez’s career choices. He has always gone for the best job possible with the biggest clubs possible, not merely the ones that offer to pay him the most – although the two do often go hand in hand. Having said all that, he seemingly hasn’t actually received an offer from China and so, as he says, there’s nothing really to say beyond what’s been written in the Mirror. You do get the sense that Benitez wants to remain at St James’ Park and as long as he gets the assurances he wants, he’ll likely do just that.
