RAFA BENITEZ will leave Newcastle next Sunday unless club chiefs make a renewed attempt to keep him.
The Toon boss is refusing to sign the contract offer on the table – understood to be a one-year extension on the same £6million-a-year salary.
So without fresh talks and more guarantees, Benitez will walk away from St James’ Park when his current deal expires in a week’s time.
The Spaniard met owner Mike Ashley in London after the season finished to discuss extending his stay.
But he has had none of the reassurances he wanted over the structure of the club and plans for recruitment.
And talks have reached a standstill in recent weeks, with both parties in a stand-off.
Newcastle insist their transfer budget – around £50million this summer plus money generated from sales – is non-negotiable and are sticking by their prefered policy of signing young players.
They have so far refused to budge on their offer to Benitez.
But they will have to in the coming days to have any chance of holding on to their manager, which is still their preferred option.
Benitez has a £12m-a-year option from Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang.
And while he is reluctant to move to the Far East, he is not willing to remain at Newcastle under the current conditions.
Benitez is unable to speak to other clubs while he is still under contract on Tyneside and will not walk before his deal expires on June 30.
Likewise, Newcastle will not sack their boss before then, even though they cannot negotiate with potential replacement managers while Benitez is their employee.
