RAFA BENITEZ insisted he wants to see Newcastle show more ambition after steering them to safety.
And when you compare their current position to the table at the same point last year, it is easy to see why.
The Magpies have exactly the same number of points, goals scored and conceded as the previous campaign.
And the incredible revelation shows why Benitez is desperate to overhaul his squad.
Newcastle did splash out a club-record fee to bring Miguel Almiron to St James’ Park.
But they face losing Ayoze Perez, who netted a hat-trick against Southampton to confirm another season in the top-flight.
Perez is Newcastle’s 11-goal top scorer this season and has attracted interest from Sevilla, Real Betis and Valencia in La Liga as well as a clutch of Premier League clubs.
He moved to Tyneside five years ago in a bargain £1.6million deal from Tenerife and has two years left on his contract.
But Perez admits now might be the right time to move on – and he could fetch Newcastle more than £20m in the market.
Benitez himself has suggested he wants more money or he will be quitting Tyneside.
The ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid chief said: “When I came here, I could see the potential of the club to be challenging, certainly for seventh to 10th in the table but looking higher.
“But when you analyse the transfer fees and wage bills of other teams, we’re not competing.
“I am the manager until 30 June. We can see the potential. When you see the teams between seventh and 15th, we have to compete with them.”
