Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has reportedly informed Rafael Benitez that he has £80m to spend this summer in an attempt to persuade the Spaniard to stay on for another season.
Benitez has made clear that he is unhappy with the lack of funds afforded to him over the past year, being forced to rely on small-money signings and loan arrivals.
The £10m handed over to Norwich City for Jacob Murphy last year is the most spent by the 58-year-old since guiding United back to the top flight, while Michael Owen remains the club's record signing at just £16.8m.
With the transfer window due to open next week, The Mirror claims that Ashley will once again be reluctant to overspend, despite seeing his personal wealth soar close to the £2.5bn mark.
The report suggests that it is unknown whether the £80m figure will be enough to tempt Benitez into remaining at St James' Park, with West Ham United, Leicester City and Everton all potentially in the market for a new manager.
Daniel Lewis
