Rafa agrees Newcastle stay and gets ‘large budget’

Sarah Winterburn

Rafael Benitez is close to agreeing a three-year deal to remain as Newcastle manager in the Championship.

Discussions which began after the club’s relegation from the Barclays Premier League on May 11 have proved fruitful.

Hopes are high around St James’ Park that a formal agreement with the 56-year-old has been reached.

It is thought that Benitez has been given control over transfers, with chief scout Graham Carr expected to leave the club in the coming weeks.

The Daily Telegraph claim that Benitez ‘will be armed with a large transfer budget’ and has received assurances that he will be given the proceeds from the sales of Moussa Sissoko, Georginio Wijnaldum, Daryl Janmaat and Andros Townsend this summer.