MX23RW : Friday, November 8 16:31:19| >> :60:28:28:

Rafael Benitez talks up Newcastle's potential

Rafael Benitez talks up Newcastle's potential
© Reuters
Mike Ashley is looking to sell the club.

Rafael Benitez has told Newcastle's suitors they have a great opportunity to do something special.

Tyneside has been buzzing with takeover talk again this week after owner Mike Ashley revealed he was in negotiations with a series of potential buyers who are ready to meet his £300million-plus asking price.

Despite the understandable caution after Amanda Staveley's attempt to buy the club 12 months ago fell through, fans are hoping a turbulent period on Gallowgate is about to draw to a close.

And Benitez is convinced the potential he saw when he arrived almost three years ago is still there.

He said: "Yes, 100 per cent. Again I'd say it's not my job to talk about this too much because I don't have the information, but as you say generally it's very clear it has the potential to be one of the top sides.

"For me, it has to be in the top six or top eight easily. I've seen some people criticising the North East, but it's an area with great potential.

"This club is the only one here in this region which is so big, you can attract anyone."

Benitez, of course, has achieved huge success throughout his managerial career, which has taken him to the likes of Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid, and he believes Newcastle can be mentioned in the same breath.

He said: "Yes, for sure. There's massive potential. When I was in Valencia, Napoli, even Inter or Liverpool, you were checking the richest clubs in the world, the biggest.

"I don't know, but I think we're something like 99 per cent of capacity coming to the home games here every week. In some countries – in Italy for sure – it's really, really difficult to find that, and here it means that everybody cares about football too.

"If you are in the Premier League and in the top eight, you can play in Europe in any competition, in Europa League, in Champions League. But obviously you have to go one step at a time."

In the shorter term, Benitez's only focus is keeping the club in the top flight, a process which continues on Sunday when promoted Wolves head for St James' Park.

The Magpies bounced back from a 3-0 home defeat by West Ham last weekend with a 1-1 midweek draw at Everton to take their tally to 11 points from the last 18 they have contested.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Damian Spellman, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'a4e75de8-af59-47a1-b18f-b02a257aa147');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Rafael Benitez talks up Newcastle\u2019s potential'});

ID:343753: cacheID:343753:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4756:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Salomon Rondon in action for Newcastle United on December 5, 2018
Read Next:
Rafael Benitez hoping Salomon Rondon can follow in Alan Shearer's footsteps
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Bengals
34-35
Ravens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!