North-East reporter admits Rafa Benitez is “very frustrated” – Mike Ashley continues to ignore him

According to the Gazette’s Miles Starforth, Rafa Benitez is now ‘sweating’ on new signings arriving at NUFC after being left ‘very frustrated’ by the lack of movement at the club so far this summer – claiming ‘nothing’s happened’ since his last round of talks.

As we know, no new contract has been agreed between Benitez and the club despite several weeks of negotiations – and that appears to have left our summer plans in limbo to a certain extent.

The report admits that nothing has happened at Newcastle since Benitez was left frustrated by the impasse in talks between himself and the club – making it seem quiet clear that Ashley has not learnt from last summer’s mess and is making little attempt to please Rafa.

Here’s a snippet from the Gazette’s latest piece on Rafa’s frustrations at NUFC:

Ashley’s first priority this summer was to persuade his manager to sign a new deal with his contract set to expire in 12 months time.

However, Benitez wanted to first agree a budget with Ashley, who has made it clear that transfer funds must come out of the club’s profits. 

Benitez was understood to be “very frustrated” at the impasse in talks early this month. Since then, nothing’s happened. Other clubs have bid for players. United, it seems, have only talked, though the World Cup is a factor.

It really is unbelievable that, another year on, we’re still seeing Rafa being messed about by Ashley – an owner who’s meant to be trying to tempt him into signing a new deal at the club.

Ashley released a statement at the end of the season saying Benitez would be given ‘every penny generated’, also stating his eagerness to keep Rafa at the club, but his words means nothing. It’s time to see some action.

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