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Former Newcastle United midfielder Jermaine Jenas has hit out at Magpies owner Mike Ashley for not backing Rafa Benitez this summer.

Jenas, who played for United between 2002 and 2005, spoke to Goal and revealed his worries that Benitez’s side does not have enough firepower.

Benitez courted Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham earlier in the transfer window but the youngster chose to join Swansea City and the United boss has been further frustrated with attempts to sign a striker.

United have welcomed Joselu to St James’ Park in a £5million deal but Jenas says he almost feels sick at the lack of spending on Tyneside.

He said: “They won the Championship and finished last season on a high but it almost makes me sick that the players and manager put their heart and soul into the league and then they are not backed to improve.

“The market is crazy and they can’t afford to go too big on signings but as far as I am concerned with the team that they have got now will be in a relegation battle at the end of the season. Is that good enough for a club at the size of Newcastle? No, as far as I am concerned.

“So I am 100% behind Rafa Benitez . He has done his job, got them back into the Premier League at the first time of asking. You have banked god knows how many millions for being in the Premier League, or you will bank it over the next few years, now invest it and back me as a manager.

“I am with him all the way. It makes no sense to not go for it and protect your status. Not only that, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at what they have got and say it is not enough. I suppose Newcastle fans and even Rafa are probably only asking for signings to give them a better chance.

“Right now, they are amongst the bottom three teams. He wants a chance to survive and that’s all he’s asking for. If they don’t get it, they could lose their most important person and that’s Rafa Benitez.”

Jenas who played with Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy in the Champions League as United battled for the Premier League title, knows a thing or two about strikers.

And the now TV pundit, who turns out on BT Sport and Match of the Day, feels that missing out on Tammy Abraham, and the lack of goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez could cost United in the long run.

“I don’t think they have got enough goals, [Aleksandar] Mitrovic has had his season in the league below,” He continued. “I didn’t see enough from him. Maybe they didn’t play to his strengths or maybe it was just his ability, I don’t see him getting double figures.

“They have Dwight Gayle , a proven goalscorer for them but the problem with Gayle is that he has to play in a two [forward system], then you are restricted with how you play. He is better with someone next to him in the Premier League but they won’t have a lot of possession in games.

“They have Ayoze Perez as well but there’s not enough there for me. Every year when I am talking about football in the last couple of seasons, looking at Sunderland, Villa and others. The relegated team’s biggest problem is always a lack of ability to score goals.

“You can grind out results but if you can’t score goals, you won’t stay up. They even failed to loan Tammy Abraham. As a Newcastle United fan or manager or player, you expect a player to jump to play at Newcastle. He has gone to Swansea and you hope that’s a situation that doesn’t come back to bite you in the rear end.”