Sky Sports journalist Pete Graves has claimed that he is “hopeful” that Rafa Benitez will stay at Newcastle United this summer.
The Spaniard is out of contract on Tyneside on June 30th, and has yet to agree terms on a new deal, but Graves has revealed that he is optimistic a resolution will be found.
Writing on his personal Twitter account, he said: “I remain hopeful because all sides want him to stay!
“Takeover talk is slowing everything down though undoubtedly.
“They were very close to an agreement before this takeover bid.”
https://twitter.com/PeteGravesSky/status/1140195756927782912?s=20
OPINION
Everybody on Tyneside will be hoping and praying that Graves’ hopefulness is founded on more than just a gut feeling. Rafa Benitez is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most valuable asset at St. James’ Park in terms of the impact and the positive influence that he has on the club. Losing him would be like losing a limb for most supporters, and the prospect of replacing him is about as daunting a task as there could be for a mid-table Premier League side. This is a manager who has worked with wonders with practically no backing, a manager who has won it all in the European game and yet chooses, god knows why, to stay at a club that have been threatened with relegation every season he has been there, expect the season that actually went down and had to get out of the second tier. Whoever the Magpies got after Benitez, it would be a guaranteed step down.
