The Newcastle fans in the Transfer Tavern have been reacting to an update via Sky Sports News that claims Newcastle United are confident of keeping Rafa Benitez in charge ahead of next season. Benitez had been heavily linked with the West Ham job as the Hammers’ board claimed they were very close to appointing a manager with experience in the Premier League and in Europe.
https://twitter.com/toontransfer/status/997183376405778433
Whilst Rafa Benitez is one of a number of managers who fits the bill, the Magpies were worrying that the Spaniard could be on his way out of St James Park seeing as his demands were unlikely to be met by Newcastle’s tyrant owner, Mike Ashley. The Sports Direct businessman has been told that if he is to keep Benitez on Tyneside then he needs to make funds available for the club to kick on from a mid-table side to a team pushing for Europe.
On the West Ham front, it looks like Manuel Pellegrini will be the next manager at The London Stadium, allowing out local Geordies to breathe a sigh of relief as they can prepare for life with Benitez at the helm for a third full season. The ex-Rea Madrid ad Liverpool manager will be looking to bolster his squad in the transfer window and with a relatively tight budget, he’ll need to be coy as he targets improvements on the squad that helped him to a 10th placed finish this season.
You can read our local Magpies’ verdict on Benitez here:
Hoping that this West Ham interest will force Cashleys hand into giving Rafa what he wants #Nufc
— Ben Robson (@RobboBen) May 17, 2018
Rafa is a gentleman unlike Ashley
— Antonio (@Antonio23441289) May 17, 2018
And they said that about rafagafa getin some transfer funds, God help us if rafagafa goes.
— Tony Kirkwood (@My5cherriepies) May 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/tonyhenderson73/status/997194509413965829
If this is the case they must have offered something close to what he wants
— sam j (@sam_army94) May 17, 2018
He was never going to WH, he knows how to work the media and knows it will help him with Ashley so fueled it.
— Angel 🏴 (@AngelNufc) May 17, 2018
