OPINION
When it was first reported that Italian heavyweights Roma were interested in Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez, it was dismissed.
The Chronicle claimed earlier this month that the Serie A side had indeed made an approach for the Spaniard, but that he had politely informed them that he is working on securing his Magpies future at the moment.
However, these links are simply refusing to go away. Earlier this week Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that the former Liverpool boss is very much on Roma’s list of targets to become their next manager.
Obviously Benitez does want to stay where he is, but the longer his contract talks drag on – and the takeover talks surrounding the club, of course – the more he might be tempted to look elsewhere for more straightforward employment. He may finally feel that the Magpies simply aren’t worth the trouble any more.
So the Newcastle supporters will surely be fuming that these links continue to crop up. Roma are a huge team, Champions League regular – although they didn’t qualify this season – with a bigger budget and better players than the north east outfit.
You couldn’t blame Benitez, really, if he was tempted by the possibility of returning to Italy. He enjoyed real success there with Napoli – although not with Inter Milan – and obviously working in Rome would surely be preferable to working on Tyneside.
Still, the noises remain that the manager wants to stay where he is. But you have to wonder how long that will remain the case. If a takeover goes through then the new owners may want their own man in, you never know.
All the while, though, Roma lurk in the background, a European giant ready to strike at the earliest sign of assent from the Spaniard. The Newcastle fans will be praying that doesn’t happen, though.
