Rafa Benitez is understood to be deeply disappointed with Newcastle United’s poor end to the transfer window.

The Magpies boss could still get a couple of back-up players through the door on deadline day - but just like 12 months ago, Benitez is unhappy that his warnings throughout the last few weeks of the window have not been heeded.

In many ways he believes the damage could already be done - live updates from transfer deadline day deals here.

Benitez was offered assurances that he could sign a centre-back and a left-back earlier this week, but he has hit a brick wall on some deals after being told the players don’t fit club criteria.

(Image: Newcastle United)

Whether that is because of wages, age or sell-on value is yet to come to light as United have not disclosed their transfer blueprint in public for some time.

Yet Benitez feels let down on a number of deals this summer after struggling to land a number of targets after financial restrictions were placed in his way.

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This resulted in club legend Alan Shearer summing up the situation this week when he said on Five Live: “Whoever goes in seems to be having exactly the same problem and it’s quite obvious that’s not going to change under this owner.

“Rafa has made a profit again as we stand here of about £25million. He made a profit last year in the transfer market.

(Image: newcastle chronicle)

“What was it about £120million for finishing 10th last season? My question would be where’s that money gone.”

Benitez felt he had saved the club huge amounts of money after wheeling and dealing in the market and landing Ki Sung-yueng on a free transfer plus Salomón Rondón and Kenedy on loan deals.

Newcastle have spent around £17million this summer on Martin Dubravka, Fabian Schär and Yoshinori Muto.

They are set to end the window with at least a £27million profit.

Benitez went into April talks with the club hopeful that they could agree on a contract extension.

The owner Mike Ashley then said in May: “Rafa, as always, has my full support, and contrary to some media reports that portray me as a pantomime villain, I will continue to ensure that every penny generated by the club is available to him. I hope very much that Rafa will remain at Newcastle United.”

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But United are then believed to have told Benitez he would not get full access to funds unless he signed a new deal.

And that left Benitez scrambling in the bargain basement for players in the window.

Even then, he has had restrictions pushed in his way and the original cash deal for Rondon fell through because of his £16.5million price tag.

Players on his shortlist such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who wants to leave Chelsea, and Andros Townsend of Crystal Palace were then dismissed because of their high fees.

Townsend was handed a price tag of over £20million and Benitez would have had to lose Matt Ritchie in order to make it happen.

(Image: Newcastle United)

However, even the simplest deals have proved to be tough for Rafa.

Stanley N’Soki of PSG has fallen through, again because of the asking price, this time £9million.

Federico Fernández was a straight-forward deal too but Newcastle aren’t keen on paying £10million for the Swansea defender.

As deadline day loomed Benitez asked to sign two players at cut-price in Ragnar Klavan of Liverpool and an old target in Erik Pieters of Stoke City, but again hit a brick wall according to sources close to the deals in Holland and Estonia.

Benitez has laboured the point long enough with three diplomatic Press conferences underlining the need for more players.

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In Ireland he said he’d accepted the conditions but deals still needed to be done. In Braga he stated it was “simple and clear” that Newcastle were still short.

And at St James’ Park after losing to Augsburg he suggested the club were now drinking in the Last Chance Saloon on deals.

Unfortunately it seems some of his words have fallen on deaf ears on Barrack Road.

It leaves Benitez in a similar place to 12 months ago.

Back then the window closed without a quality goalscorer coming through the ranks and Newcastle signed Javier Manquillo as a utility player to cover at left-back, despite being a right-footed defender.

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Joselu was brought in to make up the numbers in attack and while he did get some important goals, Newcastle were plunged into an unnecessary relegation battle during the winter months.

Benitez could yet get some joy in the last hours of the window, but he is seething that Newcastle have taken another gamble in what will be one of the most competitive Premier League seasons to date.