So many Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media to reports by the Daily Mail that Rafa Benitez has a £20million release clause in his contract with Dalian Yifang.
Benitez is currently being linked with a potential return to the Premier League inside six months of walking away from the Magpies, having failed to agree on a new contract with owner Mike Ashley in June.
The pair failed to come to an agreement over changes Benitez wanted to make to the club’s recruitment policy, as the Spaniard pushed for assurances that he would be allowed to sign players aged over 25 and have greater flexibility over the wage bill.
With no contract sorted, Benitez left at the end of his previous terms and signed a £12million-per-year deal with Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Yifang in July, just weeks after his departure from St. James’ Park was announced.
Benitez is now a target for West Ham United, and is high on the Irons’ shortlist should they fire ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, as well as being a potential option for Arsenal after the Gunners sacked Unai Emery.
Benitez has little interest in leaving China at this stage and will remain with Dalian Yifang ahead of the new season, which kicks off in March, although the former Real Madrid and Liverpool head coach is keen to come back to the Premier League in the future.
Dalian Yifang ended the recent Chinese Super League season ninth in the table, having won six of their 16 league games under Benitez, while reaching the Chinese Cup Semi-Final.
Would you take Benitez back at £20m?
Yes, in a heart beat
No, stick with Bruce
Ashley won't pay £20m
Here are some of the messages shared as Newcastle fans reacted to how much it would cost to bring Benitez back to the Premier League…
Peanuts. Worth every single penny of it…
— Richard Johnson (@RSJ1975) December 3, 2019
Thank god, I don’t think I could handle seeing Rafa back in the PL against Newcastle
— Vinay Kanani (@VinayK1991) December 3, 2019
Worth every penny if you treat him with the respect he deserves
— J (@As_it_is10) December 3, 2019
Ashley will have s sell on clause in there somewhere.
— Eric saddler (@ericsaddler2) December 4, 2019
You could get 5 Alan Pardews and a free John Carver thrown in!
— Joolio Geordio (@JoolioGeordio) December 4, 2019
Good because if we cant have him then no one else will! Haha
— Jay Ashun (@JKOversion1) December 3, 2019
Someone buy us and bring him back aye? You’d be loved as owners straight away.
— Dazza (@NUFC_DazzaD) December 3, 2019
Half the price of Joelinton😂🤣🤣
Bargain Benitez.
— Rafa Facts (@FactsRafa) December 3, 2019
Why wouldn’t they pay 20 million for a guaranteed top 6 finish??? Lol 👀
— Andy Mitchell (@shandahand) December 3, 2019
Or to put it another way – in an era when world class managers are starting to be worth tens of millions – billionaire businessman Mike Ashley let Rafa go on a free.
— Lee Charnley’s Lost Soul (@LeesLostSoul) December 4, 2019
I think a change is coming where the managers start to command the same kind of fees players do. West Ham wouldn’t blink at paying £20m for a player – why not for one of the best managers out there?
— Alastair Campbell (@alastair10) December 4, 2019
In other Newcastle United news, the club are reportedly moving to sign a record-breaking wonderkid appearing on a dominant Euro giants’ radar.