A contract agreement between Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez and owner Mike Ashley is unlikely to be secured until the two men meet face-to-face again, according to The Guardian.
The newspaper claims that Benitez is likely to want further in-person talks with the Magpies chief, as well as written agreements of all promises made.
The two men met in London last Thursday along with the club’s managing director Lee Charnley, and further talks have only taken place between Benitez and the latter over the phone and by email.
The main sticking point appears to be in regards to the manager’s freedom in the transfer market. Benitez wants to be able to bring in who he sees fit, but the club have a long-established policy of only buying young players will sell-on value.
OPINION
Clearly both parties are keen to come to a resolution, with them both keen for Benitez to stay where he is. However, the club clearly want to have a say in transfer business, whereas the Spaniard wants to be able to sign whoever he wants – the club’s Player of the Season Salomon Rondon, for example. The Venezuelan, at 29 years of age, doesn’t fit in with the club’s existing transfer policy. Benitez wants more flexibility within that policy, allowing him to buy a player like Rondon if he wants to. Ultimately, if this is the big thing preventing Benitez from signing a new deal, then the club should compromise if that’s what it takes to keep him at St James’ Park. They aren’t going to be able to bring in another world class manager like him, so they might as well give him the little bit more power that he wants. He’s shown that he deserves it, that’s for sure.
