Former Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has insisted that towards the end of his time at St. James’ Park he just lost all faith in the club’s hierarchy.
Benitez left at the end of last season when his contract expired and there were talks between the club and his representatives over a new deal.
Newcastle managing director Lee Charley has accused the Spaniard of moving to China for more money, but the former manager has now come out with his version of the facts.
Benitez insisted that at the end of last season the club did not offer him a contract that he could accept as Newcastle refused to invest in the academy or training facilities as part of the deal.
He admits that following the meeting he knew that Newcastle would not be offering him a new deal he could accept.
The former Newcastle boss also indicated that he could not take the Newcastle hierarchy at their word as by the end of it he had a lost all faith in them after three years of broken promises.
He wrote in a column for The Athletic: “Newcastle’s board had a year to sort out my contract but, when we met after the end of last season, they didn’t make me an offer I could accept.
“They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground — if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that.
"Their idea of a project was a policy of signing players under 24 and, in my opinion, the budget available was not enough to compete for the top 10.
“After that meeting, I knew they would not come back with a serious offer and, when it arrived, 19 days later, it was for the same salary as three years earlier and with less control over signings.
“Charnley’s comments in the programme about having a deal agreed for Joelinton in February explains a lot that I couldn’t understand at that time.
“After three years of unfulfilled promises, I didn’t trust them.
“When we finished 10th in the Premier League in our first season back, all players and staff were paid a bonus — aside from my coaching team. That felt like a punishment for me not signing an extension.
“So, by the end, I knew there would not be a proper offer and they knew I was not signing.”
Steve Bruce got money to spend in the summer, but his time at Newcastle started with a narrow home defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.