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Rafa Benitez representatives say manager set to call Mike Ashley’s bluff and walk away unless… – Report

5 years ago
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It is now over three weeks since Rafa Benitez handed Mike Ashley his list of conditions, which will need to be met before he agrees a contract extension.

The Newcastle United owner had told his minions in late March to ask the Spaniard what it would take for him to agree a new deal.

On Wednesday, George Caulkin of The Times revealed that three weeks after Rafa provided Mike Ashley with the list of conditions, no response has been forthcoming from the owner or his people.

With only 24 days and four games remaining until the season is over, the situation is critical.

Clubs elsewhere are already deep into making plans for next season, Manchester United making Ole Gunnar Solskjaer their permanent manager some time ago so they can plan ahead, whilst Wolves are putting their plans in place including some time ago making loan player Raul Jimenez a £30m+ permanent signing.

Meanwhile, Mike Ashley is happy to run the clock down and showing zero interest in getting any agreement from Rafa Benitez to stay on, whilst making any effort to buy Newcastle’s most influential player (more goals and more assists than any other NUFC player) Salomon Rondon looks a forlorn hope, simply because of the striker’s age.

A new report on Thursday morning from the Northern Echo, has seen them reveal that Rafa Benitez is prepared to call Mike Ashley’s bluff.

They say that the Newcastle manager’s representatives have said that Rafa Benitez is set to walk away if nothing changes. They add that the manager and his people believe that Mike Ashley is simply relying on the Spaniard’s love of the job and the fans, rather than changing anything to encourage him to stay.

However, despite his preference to remain, Rafa Benitez is determined to leave unless Ashley changes his way of running Newcastle United.

Rafa and his people are said to be sick of the fact that after over a year of ongoing talks, they are no further forward in terms of agreeing a new contract.

Rafa Benitez is renowned as a meticulous planner and every day that goes by without any movement, is a day wasted in terms of trying to turn the club around.

As Newcastle have moved ever closer to Premier League safety, recent weeks have seen Rafa Benitez get ever more open in terms of making clear what the position is, especially when talking to Spanish media.

The Newcastle manager repeatedly making clear that it is simply up to Mike Ashley now, that there is no doubts surrounding what it will take for him to agree to sign a new contract, only whether the NUFC owner will agree to back Benitez with what he feels he needs to progress the club, rather than treading water with one relegation battle after another.

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