Former Newcastle United star Craig Bellamy has been discussing Rafa Benitez’s future at the club after he was linked with Arsenal.
Newcastle are in the thick of a battle to avoid a second Premier League relegation in three seasons.
Another topsy turvy season at St James Park has seen Benitez’s future consistently called into question over the club’s failure to match his ambitions in the transfer market.
The on-off takeover saga did not help matters either and another disappointing transfer window in January saw fresh speculation that the Spaniard could walk out.
Benitez has been linked with the likes of West Ham, where he came close to replacing Sam Allardyce in 2015, but has remained with the Magpies as they bid for survival.
The experienced boss has this week been linked with a summer move to Arsenal where Arsene Wenger’s future is in serious doubt, as reported by the likes of The Express.
Fans will understandably be concerned given Arsenal’s size and spending power – they spent over £120 million on Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this season alone.
“Look Newcastle’s a great club, big club, it’s been disappointing to see what’s happened over the last couple of years,” Bellamy told The Debate.
“Look he (Benitez) went there, I’m sure he didn’t expect them to get relegated, but it happened, got them up, this year he hasn’t been able to spend as much money as Rafa usually likes to spend.
“Does he deserve (a move to a club like Arsenal)? Listen if he can get Newcastle going it’s a top, top football club.”
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