Rafa Benitez is continuing contract talks with Newcastle with Celtic casting a shadow over the discussions.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss has taken Newcastle to promotion and two mid table finishes in the EPL with minimum funding from the board of directors.
Mike Ashley has been open to selling the club for a number of years but so far no serious offers have arrived close to his asking price.
Rafa Benítez sitting down with Newcastle today to thrash out his future. Talks likely to carry over into tomorrow. There’s willingness on both sides to reach an agreement #NUFC
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) May 16, 2019
???? “As far as I’m aware, the club aren’t speaking to anybody until after the final.”
Neil Lennon on Celtic’s hunt for their next manager as he namechecks Rafa Benitez https://t.co/NLMg30vlCU pic.twitter.com/28Y5YPBzZ2
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) May 16, 2019
Benitez has refused to commit himself beyond the contract that expires next month with his future a constant topic at Newcastle media conferences.
The 59-year-old has regularly been linked with the Celtic job over the last month but earlier this week he replaced Neil Lennon as the favourite to succeed Brendan Rodgers on a permanent basis.
That factor won’t do Benitez any harm in his negotiations with Newcastle where his spending budget will be as big as issue as his own personal terms.
With his family based in the north west of England a job in that area would be his preference but it seems certain that his name will have been mentioned in Celtic’s discussions over a new manager.
