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Newcastle United want to offer Rafa Benitez the chance to build a bright future at St James’ Park.

The Magpies are prepared to pull out all of the stops to ensure they fight off competition from other clubs including interest from Premier League Everton.

It is also understood that there is big interest from clubs in Europe with the Spaniard’s CV not dented by relegation in the eyes of owners around the world.

However, Benitez’s preference is to stay in the UK where his family are based in the Wirral. And that leaves the prospect of managing Everton a possible temptation for Benitez.

The Newcastle boss has been based in a Tyneside hotel but has been able to commute when appropriate to his North-West home. It is believed that United would be comfortable for that arrangement to continue if he was to stay on as boss.

Benitez has also travelled back to the Wirral by helicopter after completing a week of work to spend his rest day at home, an arrangement that Newcastle officials have no issues with.

The Chronicle understands that the discussions between managing director Lee Charnley and the ex-Real Madrid boss have not been about money or salary - they have been mainly about football.

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Indeed, the key factors for Benitez have been about recruitment and who has control over incoming and outgoing transfers.

How much control and who has the final say in new players is one of the main topics of debate so far in the talks between Benitez and Newcastle.

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United chiefs have made it clear they want Benitez to spearhead their football operation.

But how much he gets to spend in the Championship will need to be thrashed out as the Spaniard knows he can’t afford to fail to win promotion at the first attempt as his CV will be blemished in the eyes of world football observers.

So far, Benitez’s team has produced results but the key factor in their play has been work-rate.

He will want more workers in his side and will need players who have Championship experience. He will try to persuade some of the current squad to stay.

The likes of Gini Wijnaldum, Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote and Tim Krul may all leave the club after relegation.

But Benitez may well be able to convince Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba and Ayoze Perez that a year in the Championship might not be a bad thing for them if the club can bounce back straight away.

Newcastle are still waiting for a yes from Benitez.

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If they get it he will embark on a three-year contract with the first target to regain Premier League status before getting back to the business end of the top flight.

The next few days will be critical for Charnley with the pressure cranked up on the club’s MD after a sorry season which came to a sad but inevitable end on Wednesday night when relegation was confirmed.

Fans feel that there was too much indecision at times when action needed to be taken.

United can’t be criticised for not spending money with most fans satisfied at the end of the August and January windows. But as things unfolded it was obvious that a proven Premier League striker and more defensive cover was desperately required.

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Ex-boss Steve McClaren is understood to have made that clear to Newcastle last summer when he wanted to sign Charlie Austin and Michael Dawson. Yet he was handed Mitrovic and told Fabricio Coloccini would be getting an extension.

United’s backroom staff are believed to have re-iterated their concerns to the football board in January when they felt that Mitrovic was struggling to adapt to English football, and Austin’s name along with Jordan Rhodes, then of Blackburn, were put forward as possible targets.

However, Austin ended up going to Southampton and Rhodes was sold to Middlesbrough while McClaren was lumbered with loan signing Seydou Doumbia and three midfielders in Jonjo Shelvey, Henri Saivet and Andros Townsend.

The biggest issue at Newcastle in recent years for McClaren, Alan Pardew and John Carver before him is the process of recruitment. Chief scout Graham Carr calls the shots all-too-often.

If Newcastle do get the news they want from Benitez about his future it will be because he’s been assured that there won’t be any uncertainty in the boardroom as far as transfers are concerned.